Badakshan Region Overview

Badakhshan is a region comprising parts of northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. It is bordered by Xinjiang province of China on the east and by Panjshir Valley on the south and is separated from Pakistan and Azad Kashmir by a narrow strip of Afghan territory. In this region, all days are frosty and summer is short. Autumn is pleasant and mild. Winter is cold. Most of Badakhshan people were Tajiks or Pamiri speakers. The main religion is Sunni Islam among the Tajiks inhabitants of Afghanistan Badakhshan, while Pamiri speakers were Ismaili Muslims (Shia muslim sect).

The river of this region is Panj river. This river is a tributary of the Amu Darya. In 1873, according to the Anglo-Russian agreement, Panj river became the border between Russian Badakhshan (part of Tajikistan) and Afghan Badakhshan (Afghanistan province). This area was politically divided along this river. In that treaty, the southern bank of Panj river (include Wakhan region) is fully belonging to the amir of Kabul.

Russian Badakhshan became the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in 1925. It makes up 45% of the land area of Tajikistan. The province gives home today to around 220000 people, who live concentrated only on 250 square km. Before the establishment of Soviet power there was practically no school system in the Pamir and most of the people were illiterate. Then, under Soviet rule, as a result of an extended education programme literacy in the Pamirs is almost universal. GBAO had 99% literacy for both men and women. Most of them were encountered displayed an astounding knowledge of science and literature. There are many teachers in the GBAO (These are teachers of English, Russian, Tajik and literature, technology, math, physics, history and physical culture). Then, An uncontestable achievement of the Soviet era is the construction of a road network. Thats why, today many of the villages in this region were electrified and had well maintained link roads.

Badakhshan province, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. The population of the province is estimated at 823000 people. If Russian Badakhshan (GBAO) had 99% literacy for both men and women, in Afghan Badakhshan, literacy rate is only 42% for male and 21% for female. Because of the anti-women and anti-modern policies of the Taliban all women and most young men from the Taliban conquered areas were denied the possibility of continuing their higher education. Thats why, the human capacity in the region is poor. The province also lacks even the most basic health care facilities and social services. Badakhshan province is also the most inaccessible part of Afghanistan. Then, lack of adequate availability of electricity is another major constraint. If in the Soviet period, a substantial rise of living standards took place in the GBAO, in Afghan Badakhshan, the living conditions were worsened.

Today, a bridge was built over the Panj river between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Visitors of this bridge would notice the sharp contrast in development of society and economy in the Soviet and Afghan parts of Badakhshan.