Tashkurgan

Tashkurgan, historically known as Sarikol and Shitoucheng, is a town in the far west of China, close to the country's border with Tajikistan. It is seat of Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, in the autonomous region of Xinjiang. Chinese Tajiks  ethnic Pamiris who live in the Pamir Mountains of Xinjiang  make up a little over half of Tashkurgan's population.

Tashkurgan
塔什库尔干镇 (Chinese)
تاشقورغان بازىرى (Uyghur)
توشقۈرغون بۇزۇر (Sarikoli)
Taxkorgan, Sarikol, Shitoucheng
Town centre of Tashkurgan, featuring the town's Flying Eagle monument and the National Culture and Art Centre in the background
Nickname: 
Roof of Xinjiang
Tashkurgan
Location of Tashkurgan in Xinjiang
Coordinates: 37°46′22″N 75°13′28″E
CountryChina
RegionXinjiang
PrefectureKashgar
CountyTashkurgan
Residential communities6
Area
  Total4 km2 (2 sq mi)
Elevation
3,094 m (10,151 ft)
Population
 (2010)
  Total8,919
  Density2,200/km2 (5,800/sq mi)
Ethnic groups
  Major ethnic groupsChinese Tajiks (Pamiris)
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)

Tashkurgan was a significant stop on the Silk Road, with roads leading to major centers of trade such as Kashgar. It also served as the capital of a number of ancient and pre-modern kingdoms.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.