Map Karakoram Highway & Khunjerab Pass (between China and Pakistan) 1A

This Schematic Map shows the Region of the Khunjerab Pass and the Karakoram Mountain Highway on the Border of Pakistan and Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region of China (PRC).

Roughly the Area depicted lies between Kasgar (Kashi) in Xinjiang China in the North, and Islamabad, the Capital of Pakistan in the South.

Among the Features included are the locations of Towns and Cities, Main Mountains in the Region including some of the highest in the World, Strategic Passes, (Autonomous) Ethnic Tribal Area's and Refugee Camps, the Main Rivers of the Region including the Indus River, and last the Main Historic and Tourist sites in the Map Region.

The Karakoram Highway, also known as the Friendship Highway in China is the Highest Highway in the World. It was built by the governments of Pakistan and China, and was completed in 1986 AD, after 20 years of construction. The Pakistani stretch of the Highway was built by the Pakistani Army Corps of Engineers and begins at Havellan bordertown of the Hazara Region of Pakistan and the North-West Frontier Province.

The Highway runs approximately 1,300 (915 Miles) Kilometers from Kashgar in Xinjiang, China following the valleys of the Chez River, the Khunjerab, the Hunza (known as the original Shangri-La), 310 kilometers along the Indus River Valley, along the (Gilgit and) Kunhar Rivers to Islamabad the Capital City in the Chillas District of Pakistan. Roughly 494 km of the road lie in Chinese Territory, the remaining 806 Kilometers traverse through the highest Mountains in Pakistan. An extension of the highway meets the Grand Trunk Road at Raikot, west of Hassanabdal, Pakistan.

Mouse over Image to Reveal City & Town Name Details ! Find more Below the Map !

The Tian Shan Range, Pamir Mountains and Karakoram Range have long been part of an essential trade and exchange route in Central Asia, a inter-connecting and diverting section of the Ancient Silk Road. From Kashgar to the East lies the main Silk Road Route to Central Asia and the West, in the South lies the important cultural pathway and inter-connection to Pakistan and India, with Muslim, Hindu and other cultures.

Several passes cut through this mountainous region, exchanging traffic, goods and information between remarkably differing Cultures.

The most famous of all passes on the Karakoram Highway is the Khunjerab Pass known in history for its impenetrable heights and wildness. Khunjerab Pass is known as the Highest Border Crossing in the World - at 4691 meters (15,397 feet.), and due to the extreme climates, avalanches and landslides is open only between May 1 and October 15 of every year. Other Passes are the Khaiber Pass, the lowari Pass and Shandur Pass, and more to the South lies the Babusar Pass. Nearby are the Shingara pass and Khyber Pass lead from Peshawar into Afghanistan.

Ethnic Tribal Area's and Regions. First and foremost on the list of Ethnic Tribal Area's in this multi-ethnic Region is the Taxkurgan Tajik Autonomous County near Kashgar. The Tajik Autonomous County itself is part of the larger Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region of China (P.R.C.) and is the Ethnic Homeland of the Tajik Ethnic Minority of China (and some Kirgiz).

South and West across the Mountain Passes stretch a patchwork of ethnic tribal regions, big and small, distributed between the countries of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan.

Currently the Pakistani Government is involved in open Warfare with Tribal Groups and the so called "Taliban", throughout the Swat Valley, located in the center of this Map.

On Saturday the 30Th of May the largest population center in the Swat Valley, Mingora Town, was retaken from Taliban Rebels.

According to the latest data from the United Nations the fighting in the Region has (so far) lasted for over 4 weeks and has uprooted about 2.4 million Pakistanis from their homes in the northwestern region of the country. Of those displaced, about 10 percent - or 240,000 - are living in refugee camps, according to the U.N.

Although this Map designates among things - a bicycle route along the Karakoram Roads, in reality one has to be extremely fit and well adapted to the extreme heights, as well as being willing to put up with only the most basic of human living conditions to carry it through.

More importantly (at this time) this is highly unadvisable, if not a plainly ridiculous proposal.

Taliban and (possible) other groups are still militarily active throughout the Region. Pakistani authorities increased security throughout Islamabad on Friday 29Th May 2009 after a string of deadly bombings struck the Cities of Lahore and Peshawar in the South-West corner of this Map's Area.

The terrorist suicide attack in Lahore hit a local Police, Emergency and Intelligence and killed 27 people.

The Taliban militant group has threatened to continue attacking cities in Pakistan until the (Pakistani) military ends its operations against Taliban militants in the country's north-western autonomous tribal regions. Further, there is a standing threat by the Taliban to carry out further attacks, especially against westerners. Chinese Nationals are also advised NOT to travel the Region.

Apart from the ongoing Military Campaign and Civil War in the Swat Region, the section of the Highway between Manschra and Chillas has throughout recent decades frequently been occupied by transitory bandits, (called 'Dacoits -owners of the land' by most of the Muslim world). The Bandits hold up buses and vehicles, and at odd times, travelers on the Karakoram Road have simply disappeared never to be heard of again. For this very reason all Tourist Buses on the road travel with a 4 man police escort. Throughout daylight hours travel on the Karakoram Highway is reasonably safe, however night time hold ups and incidents continue.

Mind You: at any time, war, bandits or normal days - NO BICYCLES (or Pedestrians) ARE ALLOWED ON THE ROAD IN THE CHINA-PAKISTAN BORDER AREA, all bicyclist must travel by Bus (1 per Day)