Pamir

Pamir ('roof of the world'), the nucleus of the central Asian highland system, is a lofty plateau-region, with a mean elevation of 13,000 feet, uniting the western terminations of the Himalaya and the Tian-Shan Mountains, and both with the Hindu-Kush. It is traversed by mountain-ridges that rise from 4000 to 5000 feet above the plateaus, and the culminating points attain in some cases 25,500 feet above sea-level. Between these ridges are a series of broad valleys, to which the generic name 'pamir' is given. On the west side this plateau-region sinks rapidly in terraces to the deserts of Turkestan. These lofty plateaus are exposed to great extremes of heat and cold, and are visited by terrible snow and sand storms. Nevertheless the Kirghiz drive up their flocks and herds for summer pasture, and from time immemorial traders have crossed them along celebrated routes. It was crossed by Marco Polo (q.v.). Animal and bird life is plentiful, the moufflon having its home there. Amongst the lakes are Karakul, 120 sq. m., and Shivakul, 100 sq. m. See the Earl of Dunmore, The Pamirs (1893); Alcock's Report of the Boundary Commission (1898); Sven Hedin's Through Asia (1898).