Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge is a road and rail bridge across the river Amu Darya
in the northern Balkh province
of Afghanistan
, which connects the town of Hairatan
with Termez
in Uzbekistan
. The bridge was built by the Soviet Union
in 1982 to supply its troops in Afghanistan.
It is the only way to across the Uzbek–Afghan border, the nearest bridge across the Amu Darya being at Kelif, some 120 kilometers (74.5 mi) to the west, crossing the Turkmen-Afghan border.
The bridge was closed in May 1997 when the Taliban forces took control of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, forcing their enemies living in northern Afghanistan to retreat into Uzbekistan. It reopened on December 9, 2001. Work began in January 2010 to extend the railway to Mazar-i-Sharif.
Amu Darya
The Amu Darya , also called Oxus and Amu River, is a major river in Central Asia. It is formed by the junction of the Vakhsh and Panj rivers...
in the northern Balkh province
Balkh Province
Balkh is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country and its name derives from the ancient city of Balkh, near the modern town...
of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, which connects the town of Hairatan
Hairatan
Hairatan is a border town in the north of Balkh province, Afghanistan, on the Amu Darya river. The river forms the border with Uzbekistan, and the two nations are connected by the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge. The city of Termez in Uzbekistan is close to Hairatan...
with Termez
Termez
Termez is a city in southern Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan.Some link the name of the city to thermos, "hot" in Greek, tracing its name back to Alexander the Great. Others suggest that it came from Sanskrit taramato, meaning "on the river bank". It is the hottest point of Uzbekistan...
in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
. The bridge was built by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1982 to supply its troops in Afghanistan.
It is the only way to across the Uzbek–Afghan border, the nearest bridge across the Amu Darya being at Kelif, some 120 kilometers (74.5 mi) to the west, crossing the Turkmen-Afghan border.
The bridge was closed in May 1997 when the Taliban forces took control of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, forcing their enemies living in northern Afghanistan to retreat into Uzbekistan. It reopened on December 9, 2001. Work began in January 2010 to extend the railway to Mazar-i-Sharif.