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[[Image:Pamir Highway Route.jpg|thumb|300px|The historical Pamir Highway travels through the Central Asian nations of [[Afghanistan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Tajikistan]], and [[Kyrgyzstan]]. The modern M41 extends further from [[Osh]] to [[Kala Ala]] in the western suburbs of [[Bishkek]]]]
[[Image:Pamir Highway Route.jpg|thumb|300px|The historical Pamir Highway travels through the Central Asian nations of [[Afghanistan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Tajikistan]], and [[Kyrgyzstan]]. The modern M41 extends further from [[Osh]] to [[Kala Ala]] in the western suburbs of [[Bishkek]]]]
[[File:Transport-dush-khorog.jpg|thumb|The Pamir Highway between Dushanbe and Khorugh]]
[[File:Transport-dush-khorog.jpg|thumb|The Pamir Highway between Dushanbe and Khorugh]]
The '''M41''', known informally and more commonly as the '''Pamir Highway''' ([[Russian language|Russian]]: "Pamirsky Trakt", Памирский тракт) is a road traversing the [[Pamir Mountains]] in [[Central Asia]].
The '''M41''', known informally and more commonly as the '''Pamir Highway''' ([[Russian language|Russian]]: "Pamirsky Trakt", Памирский тракт) is a road traversing the [[Pamir Mountains]] through [[Afghanistan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Tajikistan]], and [[Kyrgyzstan]] in [[Central Asia]].


Sources disagree on the termini of the highway, with [[Mazari Sharif]], [[Afghanistan]]; [[Termiz]], Uzbekistan, [[Dushanbe]], [[Tajikistan]]; and [[Khorog]], Tajikistan all being offered as the beginning of the highway; however all sources agree that the historic Pamir Highway ends in [[Osh]], [[Kyrgyzstan]]. Today this route is part of the M41 highway, which, according to google maps starts at Termiz at {{coord|37|12|39|N|67|16|20|E|}} and ends at [[Kara Balta]] to the west of [[Bishkek]], Kyrgyzstan at {{coord|42|49|40|N|73|52|53|E|}}.<ref>{{cite map|title=[[Google Maps]]|publisher=Google|accessdate=October 31, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite map|title=[[Bing Maps]]|publisher= [[Microsoft]] and [[Harris Corporation]] Earthstar Geographics LLC|accessdate=October 31, 2010}}</ref> Note that there is road from [[Mazar-i-Sharif]] in Afghanistan to Termiz across the border which connects with the [[A76 highway]] which leads to [[Kabul]] and [[Herat]] but on google maps this road is not marked as either the A76 or the M41. Traditionally, however, the Pamir Highway is considered to begin on that road just east of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, passing northward into [[Uzbekistan]] and passing Termiz before turning east and crossing another border into Tajikistan. It then follows a general eastward route through Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, to [[Khorog]], crossing the [[Kafirnigan]], [[Vakhsh River|Vakhsh]], and [[Bartang River|Bartang]] Rivers. From there it continues east for a distance of 311 kilometers (193 miles) to [[Murghab, Tajikistan|Murghab]], there crossing the [[Murghab River (Tajikistan)|Murghab River]] before turning northward. The Pamir Highway passes through the [[altitude]] 4,655 meter (15,270&nbsp;ft) [[Ak-Baital]] [[mountain pass|pass]] and past lake [[Karakul (Tajikistan)|Karakul]] before crossing into Kyrgyzstan and on to Osh. The Murghab-Osh leg is 417 kilometers (259 miles) in length. The stretch of road between Khorog and Osh attracts a small amount of tourism due to its rugged natural beauty.
Sources disagree on the termini of the highway, with [[Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan]]; [[Termiz, Uzbekistan]]; [[Dushanbe, Tajikistan]]; and [[Khorog, Tajikistan]] all being offered as the beginning of the highway. All sources, however, agree that the highway ends in [[Osh, Kyrgyzstan]]. Today, the route is part of the M41 highway, which starts at Termiz at {{coord|37|12|39|N|67|16|20|E|}} and ends at [[Kara Balta]] to the west of [[Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan]] at {{coord|42|49|40|N|73|52|53|E|}}.<ref>{{cite map|title=[[Google Maps]]|publisher=Google|accessdate=October 31, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite map|title=[[Bing Maps]]|publisher= [[Microsoft]] and [[Harris Corporation]] Earthstar Geographics LLC|accessdate=October 31, 2010}}</ref> Note that there is road from [[Mazar-i-Sharif]] in Afghanistan to Termiz across the border which connects with the [[A76 highway]] which leads to [[Kabul]] and [[Herat]] but on google maps this road is not marked as either the A76 or the M41. Traditionally, however, the Pamir Highway is considered to begin on that road just east of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, passing northward into [[Uzbekistan]] and passing Termiz before turning east and crossing another border into Tajikistan. It then follows a general eastward route through Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, to [[Khorog]], crossing the [[Kafirnigan]], [[Vakhsh River|Vakhsh]], and [[Bartang River|Bartang]] Rivers. From there it continues east for a distance of 311 kilometers (193 miles) to [[Murghab, Tajikistan|Murghab]], there crossing the [[Murghab River (Tajikistan)|Murghab River]] before turning northward. The Pamir Highway passes through the [[altitude]] 4,655 meter (15,270&nbsp;ft) [[Ak-Baital]] [[mountain pass|pass]] and past lake [[Karakul (Tajikistan)|Karakul]] before crossing into Kyrgyzstan and on to Osh. The Murghab-Osh leg is 417 kilometers (259 miles) in length. The stretch of road between Khorog and Osh attracts a small amount of tourism due to its rugged natural beauty.


The Pamir Highway is designated as route M-41 over much of its length in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is known as the second-highest [[altitude]] international highway in the world (4,655 m). The section between Dushanbe and [[Murghab, Tajikistan|Murghab]] has the [[European route]] number [[European route E008|E 008]].
The Pamir Highway is designated as route M-41 over much of its length in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is known as the second-highest [[altitude]] international highway in the world (4,655 m). The section between Dushanbe and [[Murghab, Tajikistan|Murghab]] has the [[European route]] number [[European route E008|E 008]].

Revision as of 04:53, 16 May 2011

The historical Pamir Highway travels through the Central Asian nations of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The modern M41 extends further from Osh to Kala Ala in the western suburbs of Bishkek
The Pamir Highway between Dushanbe and Khorugh

The M41, known informally and more commonly as the Pamir Highway (Russian: "Pamirsky Trakt", Памирский тракт) is a road traversing the Pamir Mountains through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia.

Sources disagree on the termini of the highway, with Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan; Termiz, Uzbekistan; Dushanbe, Tajikistan; and Khorog, Tajikistan all being offered as the beginning of the highway. All sources, however, agree that the highway ends in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Today, the route is part of the M41 highway, which starts at Termiz at 37°12′39″N 67°16′20″E / 37.21083°N 67.27222°E / 37.21083; 67.27222 and ends at Kara Balta to the west of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at 42°49′40″N 73°52′53″E / 42.82778°N 73.88139°E / 42.82778; 73.88139.[1][2] Note that there is road from Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan to Termiz across the border which connects with the A76 highway which leads to Kabul and Herat but on google maps this road is not marked as either the A76 or the M41. Traditionally, however, the Pamir Highway is considered to begin on that road just east of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, passing northward into Uzbekistan and passing Termiz before turning east and crossing another border into Tajikistan. It then follows a general eastward route through Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, to Khorog, crossing the Kafirnigan, Vakhsh, and Bartang Rivers. From there it continues east for a distance of 311 kilometers (193 miles) to Murghab, there crossing the Murghab River before turning northward. The Pamir Highway passes through the altitude 4,655 meter (15,270 ft) Ak-Baital pass and past lake Karakul before crossing into Kyrgyzstan and on to Osh. The Murghab-Osh leg is 417 kilometers (259 miles) in length. The stretch of road between Khorog and Osh attracts a small amount of tourism due to its rugged natural beauty.

The Pamir Highway is designated as route M-41 over much of its length in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is known as the second-highest altitude international highway in the world (4,655 m). The section between Dushanbe and Murghab has the European route number E 008.

Construction and maintenance levels vary substantially along the highway. The roadway sometimes paved but often unpaved, and heavily damaged in places by erosion, earthquakes, landslides, and avalanches. However, it is the only continuous route through the difficult terrain, serving as the main supply route to Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The route of the Pamir Highway has been in use for millennia, as there are a limited number of viable routes through the high Pamir Mountains; the road formed one link of the ancient Silk Road trade route.

  • In the 1985 film Spies Like Us, the decoy GLG-20s played by Chevy Chase and Dan Akyroyd are told to meet their contacts on the "road to Dushanbe," a reference to the M41 highway.

References

  1. ^ Google Maps (Map). Google. {{cite map}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  2. ^ Bing Maps (Map). Microsoft and Harris Corporation Earthstar Geographics LLC. {{cite map}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

See also

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