Tashkurgan
Tashkurgan
Taxkorgan, Sarikol, Shitoucheng | |
|---|---|
The Flying Eagle monument in front of Tashkurgan's National Culture and Art Centre | |
| Etymology: "Stone fortress" in the Turkic languages | |
| Nickname: Roof of Xinjiang | |
Tashkurgan Location of Tashkurgan in Xinjiang | |
| Coordinates: 37°46′22″N 75°13′28″E / 37.77278°N 75.22444°E | |
| Country | China |
| Region | Xinjiang |
| Prefecture | Kashgar |
| County | Tashkurgan |
| Residential communities | 6 |
| Area | |
• Total | 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 3,094 m (10,151 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 8,919 |
| • Density | 2,200/km2 (5,800/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | |
| • Major ethnic groups | Tajiks (Pamiris) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (China Standard) |
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. Tajiks – ethnic Pamiris who live in the Pamir Mountains of Xinjiang – make up a little over half of Tashkurgan's population.
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.