Special Sub-Topic: The Wakhan Corridor Click Here To Play: The Wakhan Corridor

The Wakhan Corridor is part of the somewhat larger area of Wakhan. Which Province of Afghanistan is Wakhan a part of?

Badakhstan. Afghanistan has thirty-four Provinces; the most recent two, Panjshir and Daykundi, were added in 2004. The geographical region of Badakhstan (rather than the political Province) includes the extreme north east of Afghanistan and also the southeastern part of neighbouring Tajikistan.

Originally created by the British Empire to separate British India from Afghanistan, and still the internationally recognised frontier, the 1,610 mile border between Afghanistan and Pakistan runs along the southern edge of the Wakhan Corridor. Named after the then British Indian Foreign Secretary, what is it called?

The Durand Line. Also referred to as "the Zero Line", this border splits the territory of the Pashtun people and has often been a source of tension in the area.

In spite of its remoteness, the Wakhan Corridor does have a Tourist Office! Where is it located?

Ishkashim. The Wakhan Tourism Office is funded and supported by the Aga Khan's Development Foundation, and it is hoped that tourism will eventually provide much needed income for the residents of the area. Given the conflicts in most of Afghanistan, the Wakhan region is peaceful, and the safest part of the country for visitors. It's remoteness means that access is difficult, and outside influences have little or no effect on the people and their lifestyle.

When travellers head for the Wakhan Corridor, they come to Sarhad-e-Broghil. What is the significance of this?

It is the last settlement accessible in motor vehicles, beyond it there are no roads. To travel beyond Sarhad-e-Broghil means that people must go on horseback, or walk, with donkeys or yaks. The road into Sarhad is only passable in a 4x4, and is often flooded, with bridges washed out. The route from the nearest airport and "big" town, the provincial Capital Faizabad, takes around 15 hours to drive, and is unsafe during the hours of darkness.

At the eastern end of the Wakhan Corridor, there is a pass through the Hindu Kush, to the Chinese border. What is the name of this pass?

Wakhjir. The border between the Wakhan Corridor and China has the greatest time division of any border on Earth. On the Afghan side, the time zone is GMT+4:30, whilst on the Chinese side, the time zone is Chinese Standard Time ie. GMT+8. The Wakhjir pass was part of the ancient route of the Silk Road, and can be closed by snow for up to half the year.

The Wakhan Corridor is the source of the Amu Darya river; how was it previously known?

Oxus. Many local people call the Amu Darya 'Jayhoun' which is thought to be a derivation from the River Gihon, one of the four rivers in the Biblical Garden of Eden. The actual source of the river is an ice cave; it flows as a glacier, then the River Wakhan, before joining the Pamir. The river ends in a delta at the Aral Sea.

The majority of the Wakhan Corridor's 13,500 inhabitants are Wakhi, apart from the few nomadic herders who live in the high Pamir Valley; which tribe do they belong to?

Kyrgyz. The earliest records of the Kyrgyz people date back to the second century BC, and the way of life they follow today has changed very little. There are around 1500 Kyrgyz living in the Wakhan Corridor. All the residents of the Wakhan Corridor are either herders or subsistence farmers, and visitors are advised to take their own food supplies as there is often none available for sale or trade.

With Pakistan to the south, and China to the east, which country borders the Wakhan Corridor to the north?

Tajikistan. The landlocked country of Tajikistan is the smallest country in central Asia. Most of the country is in the Pamir mountain range, and more than half is over 3000m elevation.

What are weather conditions like in the Wakhan Corridor?

Long cold winters, low snowfall, warmer dry summers. From September to April, temperatures often fall well below freezing point, even through the day. The average snowfall is rarely over a foot in depth; what snow does fall is dry. In the summer, it is warmer, although not hot. Rainfall is low, with an average of ten rains between April and October. Conditions for visitors and travel are best between June and September.

A popular sport among the men of the Central Asian region, including the Wakhan Corridor, is polo played using the headless carcass of a goat or calf. What is this sport called?

Buzkashi. Buzkashi is very popular in Afghanistan and Central Asia. The first ever Pamir Festival, in 2007, featured displays of the sport as one of its attractions. Organised by the Wakhan Tourism Office, it is hoped that the Festival will soon become an annual event and help increase tourist numbers, bringing much needed income to the area.