Torugart Pass

Torugart Pass^[1] (Uyghur: تورغات ئېغىزى, Kyrgyz: Торугарт ашуусу / تورۇعارت اشۇۇسۇ, romanized: Torughart ashuusu, Chinese: 吐尔尕特山口; ;^[2] Russian: Перевал Торугарт) is a mountain pass in the Tian Shan mountain range near the border between the Naryn Region of Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. It is one of two border crossings between Kyrgyzstan and China, the other being Erkeshtam, some 165 km (103 mi) to the southwest.

Torugart Pass
The Chinese border crossing at the Torugart Pass on the road between Naryn (Kyrgyzstan) and Kashgar (Xinjiang)
Elevation	3,752 m (12,310 ft)
Traversed by	G315 –  ЭМ-11  ЭМ-11 (E125)
Location	China–Kyrgyzstan border
Range	Tian Shan
Coordinates	40.583333333333°N 75.416666666667°E / 40.583333333333; 75.416666666667
Torugart Pass Show map of Southern Xinjiang Torugart Pass Show map of Kyrgyzstan

Torugart Pass
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	吐爾尕特山口
Simplified Chinese	吐尔尕特山口
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tǔ'ěrgǎtè shānkǒu
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	圖嚕噶爾特山口
Simplified Chinese	图噜噶尔特山口
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Túlūgá'ĕrtè shānkŏu
Uyghur name
Uyghur	تورغات ئېغىزى‎
Transcriptions Latin Yëziqi Torghat éghizi Siril Yëziqi Торғат еғизи
Kyrgyz name
Kyrgyz	تورۇعارت اشۇۇسۇ Торугарт ашуусу Toruğart aşuusu
Russian name
Russian	Перевал Торугарт

The scenic lake Chatyr-Köl lies near the pass on the Kyrgyz side. The road to Naryn and then to Balykchy and Bishkek—stretching for some 400 km (250 mi)—is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snowfall and frequent avalanches. On the Chinese side, the Torugart Port of Entry (吐尔尕特口岸), where travelers must clear for customs, is located about 110 km (68 mi) from the pass itself in Ulugqat County of the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture. Distances from the pass to major cities are: 110 km (68 mi) to Ulugqat, 165 km (103 mi) to Kashgar, 170 kilometres (110 mi) to Artux and some 1,630 km (1,010 mi) to Ürümqi.

The pass is also terminus of European route E125 and, under the new National Highway plans, the China National Highway 315, but neither are signed in this area by 2020.

History

The pass has been used since antiquity. During the Han dynasty it was under the jurisdiction of a micro-state called Juandu (捐毒国). During the Tang dynasty, the region came under Tang control as part of Anxi Protectorate.^[3]

Russia and China first established a port of entry at the Torugart Pass in 1881. In 1906, Russia's Sino-Russian Transport Bank financed the construction of the road from the pass to Kashgar for 20 million rubles. In 1952, the Torugart Pass replaced the Irkeshtam Pass, which lies some 165 km (103 mi) southwest, as the primary overland link between Xinjiang and the then-Soviet Kyrgyz Republic. The pass was closed in 1969 due to the Sino-Soviet Split and reopened again in 1983. In 1995, the Torugart Port of Entry was relocated to a lower elevation (2,000m), closer to Kashgar, some 57 km (35 mi) away.^{[citation needed]}

The pass is open to all nationalities but clearance requires careful arrangement of transportation.^[4]

A China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway going through Torugart Pass has been in the works that would connect Kashgar and the Ferghana Valley since 2012.^[5] However, the Kyrgyz section of the rail has been stalled due to financial and technical issues.^[6] In 2023 the project development received new push from the governments of the tree countries involved.^[7] A tripartite agreement was signed on 17 September 2022 during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit,^[8] however the funding is yet to be secured.^[9]

Gallery

• 
  The ancient silk road showing the general location of the pass
• 
  Map of the region including the Torugart Pass (unlabelled; roads can be seen) (AMS, 1948)
• 
  Map of the region including the Torugart Pass (unlabelled; roads can be seen) (DMA, 1985)
• 
  A ticket office at Bishkek's West Bus Terminal informs passengers about the schedule and route of the Bishkek-Artush-Kashgar bus traveling via Torugart Pass
• 

Climate

Climate data for Torugart Pass, elevation 3,504 m (11,496 ft), (1991–2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−8.1 (17.4)	−6.2 (20.8)	−1.7 (28.9)	3.6 (38.5)	7.7 (45.9)	11.4 (52.5)	14.4 (57.9)	13.8 (56.8)	9.9 (49.8)	3.2 (37.8)	−1.9 (28.6)	−6.2 (20.8)	3.3 (38.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−14.6 (5.7)	−12.7 (9.1)	−7.6 (18.3)	−1.8 (28.8)	2.1 (35.8)	5.5 (41.9)	8.1 (46.6)	7.6 (45.7)	3.8 (38.8)	−2.7 (27.1)	−8.1 (17.4)	−12.9 (8.8)	−2.8 (27.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−20.4 (−4.7)	−18.9 (−2.0)	−13.3 (8.1)	−6.4 (20.5)	−2.3 (27.9)	0.6 (33.1)	2.5 (36.5)	2.0 (35.6)	−1.6 (29.1)	−7.6 (18.3)	−13.4 (7.9)	−18.3 (−0.9)	−8.1 (17.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	3.2 (0.13)	4.7 (0.19)	17.7 (0.70)	26.6 (1.05)	44.2 (1.74)	50.2 (1.98)	43.6 (1.72)	45.6 (1.80)	26.8 (1.06)	21.1 (0.83)	8.8 (0.35)	6.2 (0.24)	298.7 (11.79)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	4.5	6.8	10.2	11.6	14.8	15.8	13.6	13.3	9.8	9.4	6.4	5.1	121.3
Average snowy days	10.7	13.3	16.7	16.7	19.8	15.3	8.4	8.6	13.2	15.0	11.6	10.7	160
Average relative humidity (%)	57	59	60	59	60	59	55	56	57	61	57	58	58
Mean monthly sunshine hours	217.1	207.7	243.6	259.2	272.8	276.5	302.1	278.9	255.2	245.4	221.2	207.6	2,987.3
Percent possible sunshine	72	68	65	64	61	62	67	67	70	73	76	72	68
Source: China Meteorological Administration[10][11]

See also

• Asia portal

• China–Kyrgyzstan border
• Geography of China
• Geography of Kyrgyzstan
• Geostrategy in Central Asia
• Baykurut

References

1. Peter Neville-Hadley (1997). China the Silk Routes. Cadogan Guides. Globe Pequot Press. p. 289. ISBN 1-86011-052-5 – via Internet Archive. Torugart Pass
2. "Торугарт ашуусу" [Torugart Pass] (PDF). Кыргызстандын Географиясы [Geography of Kyrgyzstan] (in Kyrgyz). Bishkek: Мамлекеттик тил жана энциклопедия борбору [State Language and Encyclopedia Center]. 2004. p. 89.
3. Kizilsu Prefecture Historical Almanac Office (2007-10-05). 吐尔尕特口岸 [Torugart Port]. www.xjkz.gov.cn (Kizilsu Prefecture Government Website) (in Chinese). Retrieved 2017-02-02. 汉代吐尔尕特一带属捐毒国。...到了唐代，这里归属安西四镇（焉耆、碎叶、于阗、疏勒）之一的疏勒都督府。
4. "Torugart Pass". Caravanistan. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
5. Muzalevsky, Roman (2012-05-30). "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Scheme: Fears, Hopes and Prospects". Eurasia Daily Monitor. Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 2017-02-01. On April 17, Chinese construction corporation CRBC agreed to perform a feasibility study for the project within a year.
6. Mashrab, Fozil (2015-11-03). "Bishkek Puts Brakes on China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway". Eurasia Daily Monitor. Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 2017-02-01. Bishkek and Beijing seek to implement despite financial and technical issues
7. Yau, Niva (23 March 2023). "China Is Finally Making Progress on the China-Kyrgyzstan--Uzbekistan-Railway". Foreign Policy Research Institute. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
8. Brown, Zavior (4 December 2024). "The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway: The Troubling Prospects and Why Renegotiations Should be Considered". Columbia Political Review. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
9. Torogeldi, Bakyt; Chynybaeva, Baktygul (October 31, 2023). "Ambitious China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Project Faces Major Funding Challenges". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
10. 中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
11. 中国气象数据网 (in Simplified Chinese). China Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 10 October 2023.