| Nezatash Pass | |||||
| Elevation M: | 4476 | ||||
| Map: | China Xinjiang Southern#Tajikistan | ||||
| Label Position: | bottom | ||||
| Location: | China–Tajikistan border | ||||
| Range: | Sarikol_Range, Pamir Mountains | ||||
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The Nezatash Pass or Neza-Tash Pass (Tajik: Tajik: Ағбаи Найзатош; Aghbai Nayzatosh) is a mountain pass in the Sarikol Range between Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan and Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County in Xinjiang, China. It is situated at an elevation of 4476m (14,685feet).[1] The name of the path means "spear stone" in Kyrgyz as it is named after a rock near the location.[2]
Neztash Pass is a minor path on the Silk Road. During ancient times, it was not a main Silk Road route due to the fact that it took traveler far from settlements, lacked sources of water, and had a relatively higher elevation.[3]
However, during the 19th century, Neztash Pass was frequently used by European explorers passing through the region.
That path sits on the border between China and Tajikistan in the historic region of Badakhshan. In the 1890s, the Chinese, Russian, and Afghan governments signed a series of agreements that divided Badakhshan, but China contested the result of the division. The dispute was eventually settled in 2002 when Tajikistan and China signed a border agreement.[4] [1]