Bulunkul Explained

Bulunkul
Other Name:Булункӯл
Coords:[1]
Pushpin Map:Tajikistan
Pushpin Map Alt:Map showing the location of Bulunkul within Tajikistan
Catchment:179km2
Area:3900ha
Max-Depth:6m (20feet)

Bulunkul is a shallow, freshwater lake in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, in southeast Tajikistan, about 130 km east of the provincial capital of Khorugh. Lying in the upper Gunt valley of the Pamir Mountains, it has an area of 3900 ha with a maximum depth of 6 m. Dense vegetation covers much of its surface. It is 1.5 km from a similar lake, Yashilkul, both of which are surrounded by other wetlands as well as sand and pebble plains.

It forms part of the Bulunkul and Yashilkul lakes and mountains Important Bird Area.[2] The lake was stocked with 37 000 gibel carp in 1967.[3]

The village of Bulunkul is known as one of the coldest inhabited places in Central Asia with a record minimum temperature of -63 degrees Celsius.[4]

The lake and village of Bulunkul are featured in a short environmental film[5] by the United Nations University.

Notes and References

  1. [Google Earth]
  2. Web site: Bulunkul and Yashilkul lakes and mountains . 2013-03-27 . Important Bird Areas factsheet . BirdLife International . 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070710124603/http://www.birdlife.org/ . 2007-07-10 .
  3. Book: Savvaitova and Petr. Fish and fisheries at higher altitudes: Asia. FAO. 1999. Rome. 168–86.
  4. Web site: Bulunkul: a guide. Caravanistan. en-US. 2019-03-23.
  5. Web site: Tajik Women's Perspectives of Climate Change. United Nations University . 2009 . 2 January 2014.