Wakhan River

Wakhan River (Dari: آب واخان Āb-i-Wākhān; Pashto: واخان سیند Wākhān Sīnd; Tajik: واخاندريا Vaxondaryo) is the name of the Sarhadd branch of the Panj River along its upper length in the Wakhan District of Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan.

Wakhan River Ab-i-Wakhan
Native name	واخان سیند (Pashto)
Location
Country	Wakhan District, Afghanistan

Map of Wakhan Corridor, including Wakhan River, or Ab-i-Wakhan

The river rises in the Hindu Kush. It is formed by the confluence of the Wakhjir River and the Bozai River near Kashch Goz and Bozai Gumbaz, some 40 km west of the Wakhjir Pass.^[1] Shortly thereafter, the Little Pamir comes to an end, and the conjoined river contracts into a narrow, deep, rapid river, delimited by cliffs and steep hills.^[1] From here the banks have grown birch and juniper trees. 40 km west at Sarhad-e Broghil the river flows in a dramatic basin 3 km wide.^[2] Little if any vegetation, except dwarf willow, grows in the area.^[3]

At Sarhadd the river contracts into a wider valley, which is more populated. The river emerges near the village of Qila-e Panj, where it is joined by the Pamir River. From that point the river is always locally spoken of as the Panj River.^[3]

See also

• List of rivers in Afghanistan

References

1. Mock and O'Neill (2004): Expedition Report
2. Aga Khan Development Network (2010): Wakhan and the Afghan Pamir p.3 and map at p.5
3. Adamec, Ludwig W., ed. (1972). Historical and Political Gazetteer of Afghanistan. Vol. 1. Graz, Austria: Akadamische Druck-u. Verlangsanstalt. p. 15.

37°01′N 72°39′E