Torugart Pass (; ; ) is a mountain pass in the Tian Shan mountain range near the border between the

Naryn Region Naryn Region ( ky, Нарын облусу, Naryn oblusu; russian: Нарынская область, Narynskaya oblast) is the largest region ('' oblus'') of Kyrgyzstan. It is located in the east of the country and borders with Chüy Region in ...

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. It is one of two border crossings between Kyrgyzstan and China, the other being Erkeshtam, some 165 km (103 mi) to the southwest. The scenic lake Chatyr-Köl lies near the pass on the Kyrgyz side. The road to Naryn and then to Balykchy and

Bishkek Bishkek ( ky, Бишкек), ), formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. The region surrounds the city, although the city itself is not part of ...

—stretching for some —is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snowfall and frequent

avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and ear ...

s. On the Chinese side, the Torugart Port of Entry (吐尔尕特口岸), where travelers must clear for customs, is located about from the pass itself in

Ulugqat County Ulugqat County (also known as Ulughchat County and Wuqia County; ) is a county in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. It is under the administration of the Kyrgyz autonomous prefecture of Kizilsu. The county has two towns, nine townships an ...

of the

Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture Kizilsu (also as Kezilesu; ; ug, قىزىلسۇ قىرغىز ئاپتونوم ئوبلاستى; Kyrgyz: , , , ) is an autonomous prefecture of Kyrgyz people in the west of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, bordering with Kyrgyzstan and ...

. Distances from the pass to major cities are: to Ulugqat, to

Kashgar Kashgar ( ug, قەشقەر, Qeshqer) or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is an oasis city in the Tarim Basin region of Southern Xinjiang. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan ...

, to Artux and some to Ürümqi. The pass is also terminus of European route E125 and, under the new National Highway plans, the

China National Highway 315 Constructed in 1954, the Qinghai-Xinjiang Highway, also known as the China National Highway 315 (G315) runs west from Xining, Qinghai towards Kashgar, Xinjiang. It is in length. In 1994 the departments of communication and transportation in Qingh ...

, but neither are signed in this area by 2020.

History

The pass was used since antiquity. During the

Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...

it was under the jurisdiction of a micro-state called Juandu (). During the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

, the region came under Tang control as part of Anxi Protectorate. The pass is open to all nationalities but clearance requires careful arrangement of transportation. A China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway going through Torugart Pass has been in the works that would connect

and the Ferghana Valley since 2012. However, the Kyrgyz section of the rail has been stalled due to financial and technical issues.

Gallery

File:Seidenstrasse_GMT_Ausschnitt_Zentralasien.jpg, The ancient silk road showing the general location of the pass File:Alma-Ata NK-43 (1948) - panoramio.jpg, Map of the region including the Torugart Pass (unlabelled; roads can be seen) ( AMS, 1948) File:Operational Navigation Chart F-6, 6th edition.jpg, Map of the region including the Torugart Pass (unlabelled; roads can be seen) (

DMA DMA may refer to: Arts * ''DMA'' (magazine), a defunct dance music magazine * Dallas Museum of Art, an art museum in Texas, US * Danish Music Awards, an award show held in Denmark * BT Digital Music Awards, an annual event in the UK * Doctor of M ...

, 1985) Image:E7967-Bishkek-West-Bus-Terminal-ticket-office.jpg, A ticket office at

's West Bus Terminal informs passengers about the schedule and route of the Bishkek-Artush-Kashgar bus traveling via Torugart Pass

References

Mountain passes of China Mountain passes of Xinjiang Transport in Xinjiang Mountain passes of Kyrgyzstan China–Kyrgyzstan border crossings Sites along the Silk Road Tian Shan {{kyrgyzstan-geo-stub

History

Gallery

See also

References