Historically, the high altitude of the pass and the lack of fodder were responsible for the deaths of countless pack animals while the route was notorious for the trail of bones strewn along the way.[4] There is an almost total absence of vegetation on the approaches to the pass.[5]
Travelling south from the pass involved three days' march across the barren Depsang Plains at about 5,300 m (17,400 ft).[6] To the north, the country was somewhat less desolate and involved travellers crossing the relatively easy and lower Suget Dawan (or Suget Pass)[7] before reaching the lush grazing grounds around Shahidullah or Xaidulla in the upper valley of the Karakash River.
The pass is in a saddle between two mountains and about 45 metres (148 ft) wide. There is no vegetation or icecap and it is generally free of snow due to the winds. Temperatures are low, there are often very high winds, blizzards are frequent, and the extreme altitude often took its toll. In spite of all this, the Karakoram Pass was considered a relatively easy pass due to the gradual ascent on both sides, and lack of summer snow and ice much of the year. Consequently, the pass was open throughout most of the year.[8] There is no motorable road across the pass, and the pass currently remains closed to all traffic.
The Karakoram pass falls on the boundary between India's union territory of Ladakh and China's Xinjiang autonomous region.
It also plays a major geographic role in the dispute between Pakistan and India over control of the Siachen Glacier area immediately to the southwest of the pass. This situation arose from the Simla Agreement, signed in 1972 between India and Pakistan, when the treaty failed to specify the last 100 km (60 mi) or so of the cease-fire line from the end of the Line of Control to the border with China.
^From map: "THE DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES ON THIS MAP MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE"
^From map: "THE DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE"
Referencesedit
^SRTM data; the figure is now known to be a few meters lower than the figure of 5578 provided in Rizvi, Janet. Trans-Himalayan Caravans : Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh, p. 28. 1999. Oxford University Press. New Delhi. ISBN0-19-564855-2.
^"Pass to better relations with China". The Hindu. India. 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
^Younghusband, Francis E. The Heart of a Continent: A Narrative of Travels in Manchuria, across the Gobi Desert, through the Himalayas, the Pamirs and Chitral, 1884-94. First published: 1897. London. Unabridged facsimile (2005): Elibron Classics Replica Edition, p. 225. London ISBN1-4212-6551-6 (pbk); ISBN1-4212-6550-8 (hbk).
^Shaw, Robert. (1871). Visits to High Tartary, Yarkand and Kashgar. Reprint with Introduction by Peter Hopkirk (1984): Oxford University Press, p. 431. ISBN0-19-583830-0.
^Rizvi, Janet. Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia, p. 48. 1983. Oxford University Press. Reprint: Oxford University Press, New Delhi (1996). ISBN0-19-564546-4.
^Rizvi, Janet. (1999). Trans-Himalayan Caravans : Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh, p. 216. Oxford University Press. New Delhi. ISBN0-19-564855-2.
^Younghusband, Francis E. The Heart of a Continent: A Narrative of Travels in Manchuria, across the Gobi Desert, through the Himalayas, the Pamirs and Chitral, 1884-94. First published: 1897. London. Unabridged facsimile (2005): Elibron Classics Replica Edition, p. 226. London ISBN1-4212-6551-6 (pbk); ISBN1-4212-6550-8 (hbk).
^Rizvi, Janet. (1999). Trans-Himalayan Caravans : Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh, pp. 28, 217. Oxford University Press. New Delhi. ISBN0-19-564855-2.
Schmidt, Jeremy. Himalayan Passage: Seven Months in the High country of Tibet, Nepal, China, India & Pakistan. 1991. The Mountaineers Books, Seattle.
November 24, 2023
karakoram, pass, road, between, pakistan, china, karakoram, highway, khunjerab, pass, uyghur, قاراقۇرۇم, ئېغىزى, mountain, pass, between, india, china, karakoram, range, highest, pass, ancient, caravan, route, between, ladakh, yarkand, tarim, basin, karakoram,. For road between Pakistan and China see Karakoram Highway and Khunjerab Pass The Karakoram Pass Uyghur قاراقۇرۇم ئېغىزى is a 5 540 m or 18 176 ft 1 mountain pass between India and China in the Karakoram Range 2 It is the highest pass on the ancient caravan route between Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Basin Karakoram literally means Black Gravel in Mongolic 3 Karakoram PassKarakoram PassLocation of the Karakoram Pass within the greater Karakoram regionShow map of KarakoramKarakoram PassKarakoram Pass Ladakh Show map of LadakhKarakoram PassKarakoram Pass India Show map of IndiaKarakoram PassKarakoram Pass Southern Xinjiang Show map of Southern XinjiangKarakoram PassKarakoram Pass China Show map of ChinaElevation5540 mTraversed byRobert Shaw 1868 Francis E Younghusband 1889 Theodore Jr and Kermit Roosevelt 1926 LocationLadakh India Xinjiang ChinaRangeKarakoram RangeCoordinates35 30 48 N 77 49 23 E 35 5133 N 77 8231 E 35 5133 77 8231Karakoram PassChinese nameTraditional Chinese喀喇崑崙山口Simplified Chinese喀喇昆仑山口TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinKalǎkunlun ShankǒuUyghur nameUyghurقاراقۇرۇم ئېغىزى TranscriptionsLatin YeziqiQaraqorom Eghyzy Interactive fullscreen map nearby articles Karakoram Pass Historically the high altitude of the pass and the lack of fodder were responsible for the deaths of countless pack animals while the route was notorious for the trail of bones strewn along the way 4 There is an almost total absence of vegetation on the approaches to the pass 5 Travelling south from the pass involved three days march across the barren Depsang Plains at about 5 300 m 17 400 ft 6 To the north the country was somewhat less desolate and involved travellers crossing the relatively easy and lower Suget Dawan or Suget Pass 7 before reaching the lush grazing grounds around Shahidullah or Xaidulla in the upper valley of the Karakash River The pass is in a saddle between two mountains and about 45 metres 148 ft wide There is no vegetation or icecap and it is generally free of snow due to the winds Temperatures are low there are often very high winds blizzards are frequent and the extreme altitude often took its toll In spite of all this the Karakoram Pass was considered a relatively easy pass due to the gradual ascent on both sides and lack of summer snow and ice much of the year Consequently the pass was open throughout most of the year 8 There is no motorable road across the pass and the pass currently remains closed to all traffic Contents 1 Geopolitical issues 2 Historical maps 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 ResourcesGeopolitical issues editThe Karakoram pass falls on the boundary between India s union territory of Ladakh and China s Xinjiang autonomous region It also plays a major geographic role in the dispute between Pakistan and India over control of the Siachen Glacier area immediately to the southwest of the pass This situation arose from the Simla Agreement signed in 1972 between India and Pakistan when the treaty failed to specify the last 100 km 60 mi or so of the cease fire line from the end of the Line of Control to the border with China A potential China India Pakistan tripoint at Karakoram Pass is referenced in a 1963 boundary treaty between China and Pakistan concerning the Trans Karakoram Tract but India was not party to that treaty nor any tripoint agreement 9 The entire Siachen Glacier with all major passes and heights of the Saltoro Ridge including Sia La Bilafond La Gyong La Yarma La 6 100m and Chulung La 5 800m 10 has been under the administration of India currently as part of the union territory of Ladakh since 1984 11 12 13 14 The current de facto tripoint is about 100 km west of the pass near Indira Col in the Siachen Muztagh where the Actual Ground Position Line between Indian and Pakistani forces meets the border with China Historical maps edit nbsp Map including Karakoram Pass 18 307 1917 nbsp Map including Karakoram Pass AMS 1953 a nbsp Map including Karakoram Pass AMS 1966 b See also editDepsang Plains Daulat Beg Oldi India China Border Roads List of mountain passes of India List of locations in Aksai ChinNotes edit From map THE DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES ON THIS MAP MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE From map THE DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE References edit SRTM data the figure is now known to be a few meters lower than the figure of 5578 provided in Rizvi Janet Trans Himalayan Caravans Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh p 28 1999 Oxford University Press New Delhi ISBN 0 19 564855 2 Pass to better relations with China The Hindu India 2013 Retrieved 7 July 2013 Younghusband Francis E The Heart of a Continent A Narrative of Travels in Manchuria across the Gobi Desert through the Himalayas the Pamirs and Chitral 1884 94 First published 1897 London Unabridged facsimile 2005 Elibron Classics Replica Edition p 225 London ISBN 1 4212 6551 6 pbk ISBN 1 4212 6550 8 hbk Shaw Robert 1871 Visits to High Tartary Yarkand and Kashgar Reprint with Introduction by Peter Hopkirk 1984 Oxford University Press p 431 ISBN 0 19 583830 0 Rizvi Janet Ladakh Crossroads of High Asia p 48 1983 Oxford University Press Reprint Oxford University Press New Delhi 1996 ISBN 0 19 564546 4 Rizvi Janet 1999 Trans Himalayan Caravans Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh p 216 Oxford University Press New Delhi ISBN 0 19 564855 2 Younghusband Francis E The Heart of a Continent A Narrative of Travels in Manchuria across the Gobi Desert through the Himalayas the Pamirs and Chitral 1884 94 First published 1897 London Unabridged facsimile 2005 Elibron Classics Replica Edition p 226 London ISBN 1 4212 6551 6 pbk ISBN 1 4212 6550 8 hbk Rizvi Janet 1999 Trans Himalayan Caravans Merchant Princes and Peasant Traders in Ladakh pp 28 217 Oxford University Press New Delhi ISBN 0 19 564855 2 Anderson Ewan W 2003 International Boundaries A Geopolitical Atlas Routledge p 180 ISBN 978 1 57958 375 0 The Tribune Chandigarh India Opinions Gauhar Feryal Ali Yusuf Ahmed 2 November 2014 Siachen The place of wild roses Retrieved 4 August 2017 North Andrew 12 April 2014 Siachen dispute India and Pakistan s glacial fight Retrieved 4 August 2017 via www bbc com India gained control over Siachen in 1984 Times of India Retrieved 4 August 2017 The Siachen Story then and Now Resources editSchmidt Jeremy Himalayan Passage Seven Months in the High country of Tibet Nepal China India amp Pakistan 1991 The Mountaineers Books Seattle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Karakoram Pass amp oldid 1167049793, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
