Kulma Pass
Encyclopedia
The Kulma Pass is a mountain pass
across the Pamir Mountains
on the border between the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan
and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region
of China
. The pass opens from the north to the southeast, and is 500m wide from north to south and 1 km in length from east to west with a gentle incline not exceeding 20 degrees. The pass provides for the only overland border crossing
along the 450 km boundary between the two nations.
On the Tajik side, the pass is 80 km by road to Murghab
and about 850 km to Dushanbe
. On the Chinese side, the pass is 13.9 km from Karasu (卡拉苏口岸), a port of entry
on the Karakorum Highway which leads to Tashkurgan
(60–70 km) and Kashgar
(220 km). The pass is open from the 16th to the 30th day of each month from May to November.
The pass was closed for many years due to political tensions between the Soviet Union and China
, and then the Tajik Civil War. In 1997, China and Tajikistan signed an agreement to develop a commercial corridor between the two countries through the pass. The opening of the pass reduced cargo travel time between the two countries by ten to fifteen days, obviating lengthy detours into Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Since the pass was officially opened on May 25, 2004, traffic volume has grown considerably. In the first three months after the pass opened, an official tally by the Tajik Ministry of Traffic and Roads counted legal crossings of just 17 trucks, 10 buses, 240 tons of cargo, and 171 people over a three-month period. Unofficial transits are believed to be more common, as many locals lack passport
s needed to cross the pass legally. From May to August 2006, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce registered 649 cargo shipments totaling 11,218.5 metric tons of goods. In the same three months the following year, traffic volume reached 1,836 cargo shipments and 30,556 metric tons. In all, travelers made 12,500 trips through the pass in 2007 transporting 56,300 metric tons of goods worth US$250 million. Commonly traded goods include automobiles, construction materials, machinery, electronics, furniture, eggs, and rice.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
across the Pamir Mountains
Pamir Mountains
The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range in Central Asia formed by the junction or knot of the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains and since Victorian times they have been known as the "Roof of the World" a probable...
on the border between the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The pass opens from the north to the southeast, and is 500m wide from north to south and 1 km in length from east to west with a gentle incline not exceeding 20 degrees. The pass provides for the only overland border crossing
Border Crossing
Border Crossing may refer to:* Border Crossing , an album by saxophonist Mike Osborne.* Border Crossing , a UK hip hop collective musical group.* Border Crossing , a 2001 novel by English author Pat Barker....
along the 450 km boundary between the two nations.
On the Tajik side, the pass is 80 km by road to Murghab
Murghab
Murghab may refer to:*Murghob District, a district in the Tajikistani province of Gorno-Badakhshan*Murghab, Tajikistan*Murghab District in Badghis Province, Afghanistan*Murghab, Afghanistan...
and about 850 km to Dushanbe
Dushanbe
-Economy:Coal, lead, and arsenic are mined nearby in the cities of Nurek and Kulob allowing for the industrialization of Dushanbe. The Nurek Dam, the world's highest as of 2008, generates 95% of Tajikistan's electricity, and another dam, the Roghun Dam, is planned on the Vakhsh River...
. On the Chinese side, the pass is 13.9 km from Karasu (卡拉苏口岸), a port of entry
Port of entry
In general, a port of entry is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has a staff of people who check passports and visas and inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. International airports are usually ports of entry, as are road and rail crossings on a...
on the Karakorum Highway which leads to Tashkurgan
Tashkurgan
- Karakoram Highway :Today Tashkurgan is on the Karakoram Highway which follows the old Silk Road route from China to Pakistan. Accommodation is available and it is a recommended overnight stop for road travellers from China to Pakistan in order to have the best chance of crossing the snow-prone...
(60–70 km) and Kashgar
Kashgar
Kashgar or Kashi is an oasis city with approximately 350,000 residents in the western part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Kashgar is the administrative centre of Kashgar Prefecture which has an area of 162,000 km² and a population of approximately...
(220 km). The pass is open from the 16th to the 30th day of each month from May to November.
The pass was closed for many years due to political tensions between the Soviet Union and China
Sino-Soviet split
In political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
, and then the Tajik Civil War. In 1997, China and Tajikistan signed an agreement to develop a commercial corridor between the two countries through the pass. The opening of the pass reduced cargo travel time between the two countries by ten to fifteen days, obviating lengthy detours into Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Since the pass was officially opened on May 25, 2004, traffic volume has grown considerably. In the first three months after the pass opened, an official tally by the Tajik Ministry of Traffic and Roads counted legal crossings of just 17 trucks, 10 buses, 240 tons of cargo, and 171 people over a three-month period. Unofficial transits are believed to be more common, as many locals lack passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
s needed to cross the pass legally. From May to August 2006, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce registered 649 cargo shipments totaling 11,218.5 metric tons of goods. In the same three months the following year, traffic volume reached 1,836 cargo shipments and 30,556 metric tons. In all, travelers made 12,500 trips through the pass in 2007 transporting 56,300 metric tons of goods worth US$250 million. Commonly traded goods include automobiles, construction materials, machinery, electronics, furniture, eggs, and rice.