Relief
The nominated site and its buffer zone is located in the central part of Pamir-Alai and covers such mountain ridges as Akademii Nauk, Zaalayski, Beleuli, Zulumart, east parts of Vanch, Yazgulam and Darvaz ridges having the highest peaks of the Central Asian region - Ismoili Somoni on Akademii Nauk Ridge (7495 m) and Lenin Peak on the Zaalay ridge (7134 m). The territory is characterized by big difference of the true altitudes, and heavy cross and of the territory. The top territory of the profile has widespread diverse glacial forms of the relief: spurs, moraine, kars, circuses. Most part of the territory is covered by rocks and taluses with very steep slopes. The main part of the reserved core or zone of Tajik National Park is situated in the East Pamirs. Only the Yazgulam Ridge and eastern part of Darvaz ridge are related to the West Pamirs. East Pamirs part of territory of the park is represented by high elevated slab with relative altitudes of valleys and rivers - 3600-5000 m and mountain ridges more than 6000 m. Valley of rivers are enough wide (1 0-15 km). Slopes of the mountains have smoothed shapes. West Pamirs part is highly represented by rivers and contrary to East part jagged by deep gorges of the rivers running to the west and by naked talus formation having the altitude beginning from 2000 up to 5000 m. Climate
One of the main features of the nominated site and its buffer zone territory (TNP) is its orographic isolation:. Its main point that the suburban mountain ridges of TNP are higher than its inner ridges. For example, the Zaalayski Mountain Ridge which is the north border of the park, borders the temtory at the North, Kashgar Ridges - at the East, Hindikush encloses temtory oat the South by its huge mountains, and Kohi Lal ridges - at the west. This orography makes the territory of the park isolated from humid air masses coming from the West (from Atlantic Oocean through Mediterranean Sea) and from North (from Indian Ocean). Togethe with other factors (especially baric) such isolation serves as the important cause of aridity of the park in comparison with neighboring territories. Being situated in The location of TNP is deep inside of the continent of Eurasian Continent, TNP has and this defines sharp typically continentality of climate which is characterized by the big seasonal and daily fluctuations of meteorological elements. The parameter of character of this continentality of a climate is equal to 248%. The sharp fluctuations of temperatures in territory of park which are the basic feature of continental climate are fully expressed. The lowest temperature registered in January at the altitude of 4000 m and is makes minus 63 degrees Celsius and the highest in July at height of 3700 m - +3 1 degrees. Annual amplitude, thus, attains makes 94 degrees.
Hydrography
The largest lakes of nominated territory and its buffer zone (TNP) are Sarez, Karakul and Yashilkul (in the buffer zone). The biggest one by area lake of Pamir in area extent is the Karakul, and by volume of water - Sarez Lake (it was formed in 191 1 as a result of earthquake), containing 17 thousand cubic meters of water. Besides large lakes, the territory of the park contains over 400 small lakes, having circle from tens meters up to 1-2 km. The tTerritory of TNP is crossed with hundreds small rivers which are merging and give rise to the such large rivers of Pamir as Gunt, Bartang, Yazgulem, Vach and Obihingou, flowing in the western direction along gorges of the Western Pamir. The most significant internal rivers of the park are: Alichur, Mardjanoy, Katadara, Pahchakiv, Kokuybel, Murghab, Tanymas, Belandkiik, Okdjilga, Karadjilga, Beleuli, Markansu, Sauksay etc. which have general length makes more than 1500 km of total length. Within the borders of the nominated site there are some of the largest glaciers of the Central Asia led by one of the largest glaciers of the world called Fedchenko and having 77 km length, area 65 1,7 sq. km and the maximal thickness of ice layer 1000 m. To the east the glacier Grum Grdjimaylo (length of 37 km and the area 143 sq. km) is located. Glacier Garmo, laying between Peter Perviy and Darvazskiy mountain ridges, has a length of 30.,4 km and anthe area of more than 114 sq. km.
Flora and Vegetation
In all on the temtory of the Tajik National Park grows more than 2100 species of the high plants, many of which are endemical and rare. According to the prevailing vital forms TNP has 6 types of vegetation: deserts, pads, thorny pincushion type plants, steppes, meadows and bushes. The leading position in landscapes belongs to teresken (haloxylon) and wormwood deserts. Large Big areas are occupied by taluses and rocks with original flora Background species are represented by grey teresken (Ceratoi des poposa), rose wormwood(Artemisia rhodanta), Tibetan ajania (Ajania tibelica), Acantholimon diapencioides, fluted fescue (Festuca sulcata), pebbly feather grass (Slipa glareosa) and others. The nominated territory and in its buffer zone (TNP) contains the following plants which are included to the Red Book of Republic Tajikistan: Desmatodon altipes, Ostrowskia magnijica, Desideria pamirica, Oxytropis Hedini, Pulsatilla Kostycsewii, Acantholimon Varivtzevae, pincushion type saxifrage (Saxifaga pulvinaria), Bunium persicum.
Fauna
The fauna of the territory is rather poor, but unique by the specific structure. The greatest diversity is observed in has the avifauna of the park. In total on the territory of the park there are 162 species of birds. The common species are Pamir casarca (Casarca fermginea), Syrrhaptes tibetana, Mongolian falcon (Falco cherrug milvipes), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetus), snow griffin (kumay) (Gyps himalayensis), Tetraogalus tibetanus, short beak plover (Charadrius mongolus pamirensis), chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrocorax), Alpine daw (Graculus graculus), red and pearl reel (Leucosticte brandti), homed and thin beaked larks (Eremophila alpestris), snow sparrow (Montifringilla nivalis). Karakul lake is the place of nesting of colonies of the mountain goose (Anser indicus), redheaded seagull (Larus brunnicephalos), Tibetan river tern (Sterna hirundo tibetana) etc. During the summer and autumn periods the lake becomes the haven of mass congestions migrating waterfowl and periwater birds, many of which fly here from northern latitudes. The fauna of mammal is represented by 3 kinds of hares: tolai hare (Lepus tolai), big eared and red pika (Ochotona macrotis). Rodents are represented by numerous red marmot (Marmota caudata), grey hamster (Cricitellus migrotus), silvery (Cricitellus argentatus) and pamir fieldvole (Cricitellus pamiriensis). Artiodactyl are represented by Pamu argali (Ovis ommon polii), Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica). Predators of the park represented by river otter (Lutra lutra), fox (Vulpes vulpes), wolf (Canis lupus), Mustela altaica, red wolf (Cuon alpinus) and snow leopard (Uncia uncia). The tTerritory of the park is also inhabitted by white clawed subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus). Many kinds of the animals in met on the territory of the park are listed included on to the Red Book of Tajikistan. For example: mountain goose (Anser indicus), snow griffin (kumay) (Gyps himalayensis), bearded eagle (Gypaetus barbatus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetus), Mongolian falcon (Falco cherrug coatsi), Tetraogallus tibetanus, short beaked plover (Charadrius mongolus pamirensis), red headed seagull (Larus brunnicephalos), Syrrhaptes tibetana, white clawed subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), otter (Lutra lutra), Turkestani lynx (Felis linx isabellina), Pamu argali (Ovis ommon polii). Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and red wolf (Cuon alpinus) are the species which included to the Red List IUCN.
