Tajik National Park (TNP)

TNP originally known as ‘The Pamir National Park and Nature Reserve’ was established in 1992, is the largest conservation area in central Asia encompassing nearly all the Pamir Mountains area. TNP incorporates c.18% of the land area of Tajikistan. TNP became a UNESCO world Heritage Site in 2013.

Within the TNP is the so called ‘Pamir Knot’ which is the meeting place of the highest mountain ranges in Eurasia. In the east is a high plateau while to the west ae rugged peaks some over 7,000 metres asl.

Other features of TNP are the longest non-polar valley glacier, 170 rivers and over four hundred lakes. It is rich with flora from both south-west and central Asia. Fauna in TNP includes rare and threatened birds and mammals such as Snow Leopards, Siberian Ibex and Marco Polo Argali sheep.

As a ‘mountain building’ area as evidenced by the height of the mountains in TNP there are frequent earthquakes which attracts scientists studying plate tectonics.

The P:amir Mountains region is sparsely populated and there are virtually no permanent settlements or human developments.

Source: Tajikistan (Bradt Travel Guides) Editor: Sophie Ibbotson (ISBN: 978-1-78477-654-1))