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The Hindu Kush is an 800-kilometre-long (500 mi) mountain range on the Iranian Plateau in Central and South Asia to the west of the Himalayas. It stretches from central and eastern Afghanistan [2] [3] into northwestern Pakistan and far southeastern Tajikistan.
- Overview
- Physical features
- Physiography
Hindu Kush, great mountain system of Central Asia. Broadly defined, it is some 500 miles (800 km) long and as much as 150 miles (240 km) wide.
The Hindu Kush is one of the great watersheds of Central Asia, forming part of the vast Alpine zone that stretches across Eurasia from east to west. It runs northeast to southwest and divides the valley of the Amu Darya (the ancient Oxus River) to the north from the Indus River valley to the south. To the east the Hindu Kush buttresses the Pamir range near the point where the borders of China, Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, and Afghanistan meet, after which it runs southwest through Pakistan and into Afghanistan, finally merging into minor ranges in western Afghanistan. The highest peak is Mount Tirich Mir, which rises near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to 25,230 feet (7,690 metres).
The eastern limit of the Hindu Kush is difficult to determine because of a locally complex topography, although the Karambar Pass (14,250 feet [4,343 metres]) between the valleys of the Konar (called the Kunar or Chitral in Pakistan) and Gilgit rivers may be tentatively accepted as the boundary. The western limit also is uncertain, as the mountains...
The Hindu Kush may be divided into three main sections: the eastern Hindu Kush, which runs from the Karambar Pass in the east to the Dorāh (Do Rāh) Pass (14,940 feet [4,554 metres]) not far from Mount Tirich Mir; the central Hindu Kush, which then continues to the Shebar (Shībar) Pass (9,800 feet [2,987 metres]) to the northwest of Kabul; and the western Hindu Kush, also known as the Bābā Mountains (Kūh-e Bābā), which gradually descends to the Kermū Pass.
In its extreme eastern section, between the passes of Karambar and Baroghil (Barowghīl; 12,480 feet [3,804 metres]), the eastern Hindu Kush is not very high and has mountains that often take the form of rounded domes. Farther to the west the main ridge rises rapidly to Baba Tangi (21,368 feet [6,513 metres]) and becomes rugged, after which, within the space of about 100 miles (160 km), are concentrated the highest mountains of the entire region—about two dozen summits of more than 23,000 feet (7,000 metres) in elevation. A first cluster of high peaks around Urgand (23,094 feet [7,039 metres]), in Afghanistan, is followed farther south by the massif (principal mountain mass) of Saraghrara (24,111 feet [7,349 metres]). Another line of imposing mountains, which includes Mounts Langar (23,162 feet [7,060 metres]), Shachaur (23,346 feet [7,116 metres]), Udrem Zom (23,376 feet [7,125 metres]), and Nādīr Shāh Zhāra (23,376 feet [7,125 metres]), leads to the three giant mountains of the Hindu Kush, which are Mounts Noshaq (Nowshāk; 24,557 feet [7,485 metres]), Istoro Nal (24,242 feet [7,389 metres]), and Tirich Mir. Most major glaciers of the Hindu Kush—among them Kotgaz, Niroghi, Atrak, and Tirich—are in the valleys of this section.
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The central section from the Dorāh Pass to the Shebar Pass separates the traditional Afghan regions of Badakhshān to the north and Nūrestān and Kūhestān (Kohistan) around the upper Kābul River to the south. The concentration of high summits in this region creates from some vantage points the appearance of an unbroken horizon, a phenomenon known as Gipfelflur (German: “summit plain”). Maximum heights, which are lower than those in the eastern section, include Koh-i-Bandakor (22,451 feet [6,843 metres]), Koh-i-Mondi (20,498 feet [6,248 metres]), and Mīr Samīr (19,878 feet [6,059 metres]). These peaks are surrounded by a host of lesser mountains. Glaciers are poorly developed, but the mountain passes—which include Putsigrām (13,450 feet [5,000 metres]), Verān (15,400 feet [4,694 metres]), Rām Gol (15,400 feet [4,694 metres]), and Anjoman (13,850 feet [4,221 metres])—are high, making transmontane communications difficult.
The mountains of the western region fan out gradually toward the Afghan city of Herāt, near the Iranian border, declining into hills of lesser importance. Communication is easier in this region, as roads have long since been built through the passes, such as the Shebar Pass (9,800 feet [2,987 metres]).
Hindu Kush - Mountains, Glaciers, Valleys: In many of its features, the Hindu Kush resembles its eastern neighbour, the Karakoram Range, which extends westward from Tibet into Pakistan. Indeed, some authorities consider the Hindu Kush a continuation of the Karakoram.
Hindu Kush - Ethnic Groups, Tribes, Cultures: A long and tormented history, together with fragmented topography, has produced a veritable mosaic of peoples in the region.
Apr 21, 2023 · Learn about the Hindu Kush, a formidable mountain range with many of the world's highest peaks outside of the Himalaya and Karakoram. Discover the notable mountains, hikes and the meaning of the name 'Hindu Kush'.
May 17, 2018 · Hindu Kush is a mountain range in central Asia, a continuation of the Himalayas. It extends from northwest Pakistan to northeast Afghanistan and has the highest peak of Tirich Mir at 7700m.
Learn about the Hindu Kush Mountains, a major mountain chain in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Find out their geography, history, and significance in the region and beyond.
