| This mountainous land is the smallest country in | | | | Alexander the Great. As such, it has a rich history |
| Central Asia but is the traditional on ramp to the | | | | and many preserved architectural and cultural |
| Silk Road from China. Three primary caravan | | | | sites. It also happens to be a popular |
| routes ran through Tajikistan's Tien-Shan and | | | | mountaineering center in a country where half the |
| Pamir mountain ranges. | | | | land lies higher than 9,000 feet above sea level |
| Only around 7% of the land is arable, nearly all of | | | | and which has a number of peaks taller than |
| in the fertile Fergana Valley in the north, which | | | | 20,000 feet. |
| produces the major agricultural crop, cotton, | | | | Near to the border with Uzbekistan is Penjikent, |
| which, along with aluminum, are country's major | | | | which lay on the only route from the East to |
| exports. | | | | Samarkand and flourished from the 5th Century. |
| Tajikistan's capital and largest city is Dushanbe, | | | | Arabs destroyed the city in the 8th Century and |
| modern and European styled, with broad tree-lined | | | | the ruins were discovered in the last hundred |
| boulevards and a spectacular backdrop of snow | | | | years. Today, the excavation site has been |
| capped mountain peaks. The city features | | | | turned into a memorial reserve where tourists |
| numerous squares and monuments | | | | can visit a medieval citadel, palace, public buildings, |
| commemorating the Persian influences of the past | | | | dwellings and a necropolis. |
| and its surroundings contain many recreational | | | | Midway between Penjikent and Dushanbe lies the |
| areas, mountain parks and gorges, one with a 100 | | | | emerald gem Iskander Kul (lake). The lake is at an |
| foot waterfall. | | | | elevation of 7,000 among the 4,000 plus peaks of |
| The National Museum of Archaeology contains the | | | | the Fan mountains, which contain many other |
| 1600 year old 'Tajik Buddha,' now thought to be | | | | hiking, fishing or skiing spots for Dushanbe's |
| the largest statue of its kind in Central Asia. The | | | | residents. |
| museum also houses displays of Zoroastrian and | | | | To the east is the larger Kara Kul situated |
| Buddhist artifacts. | | | | amongst high, barren highlands that, with their |
| Khujand is the country's second largest city and | | | | errie atmosphere and yak herds, are reminiscent |
| an ancient Silk Road trade center. Located at the | | | | of Tibet. The lake is often accessed from |
| entrance to the fertile Fergana Valley, Khujand is | | | | Kyrgyzstan, heading west from Osh. |
| cited as the easternmost city established by | | | | |