Bokhtar

Bokhtar (Tajik: Бохтар),[3] previously known as Qurghonteppa or Kurganteppa, is a city in southwestern Tajikistan, which serves as the capital of the Khatlon region. Bokhtar is the largest city in southern Tajikistan, and is located 100 kilometres (62 mi) south of Dushanbe and 150 kilometres (93 mi) north of Kunduz, Afghanistan.

Bokhtar
Tajik: Бохтар
Bokhtar in 2018
Bokhtar in 2018
Bokhtar is located in Tajikistan
Bokhtar
Bokhtar
Location in Tajikistan
Coordinates: 37°50′11″N 68°46′49″E
Country Tajikistan
ProvinceKhatlon
Area
 • City26 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation
430 m (1,410 ft)
Population
 (2019)
 • City126 700[1]
 • Density4,261/km2 (11,040/sq mi)
 • Metro
190 000
Area code992-3222
Official languages

Population

As of 2019, the city's population was estimated at 110,800, making it the third-largest city in the country. The population fluctuates depending on the season, due to the many Tajik migrant workers in Russia.

Along with the capital Dushanbe, Bokhtar is more demographically diverse than other major Tajik cities such as Khujand, Kulob or Istaravshan.[4] Its population includes Tajiks, Uzbeks, Russians, Pashtuns, Tatars, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Greeks, and many more. The city had a large number of ethnic Russians who worked in the industrial and agricultural complexes in and around the city.

Bokhtar is a stronghold of Tajikistan's political opposition.[5]

Overview

During the civil war in Tajikistan, Bokhtar (then Qurghonteppa) became the epicenter of conflict by the summer of 1992, and was seriously damaged.[6] Many of the local Kulobi and Uzbeks were forced to flee in 1992, following attacks by the pro-opposition Gharmi forces.[7]

The city was officially renamed from Qurghonteppa to Bokhtar on 22 January 2018.[8] The name change was one of many in Tajikistan targeting places whose names derive from the Uzbek and Kyrgyz languages.[9]

Near Bokhtar are the ruins of a Buddhist monastery complex called Ajina Tepe, believed to be built in the 7th or 8th centuries CE. It features a 12-meter-long image of Buddha in Nirvana.[10]

Bokhtar International Airport provides flights to a handful of cities in Tajikistan, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Climate

Bokhtar has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with cool winters and very hot summers. Precipitation is quite low. It is highest in the spring, while summers are very dry.

Climate data for Bokhtar (1991-2020, extremes 1929-present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 24.0
(75.2)		 28.8
(83.8)		 35.3
(95.5)		 37.0
(98.6)		 41.3
(106.3)		 43.6
(110.5)		 46.0
(114.8)		 42.8
(109.0)		 40.2
(104.4)		 38.1
(100.6)		 31.3
(88.3)		 24.3
(75.7)		 46.0
(114.8)
Average high °C (°F) 9.7
(49.5)		 12.2
(54.0)		 18.7
(65.7)		 25.0
(77.0)		 30.7
(87.3)		 36.1
(97.0)		 37.7
(99.9)		 36.0
(96.8)		 32.1
(89.8)		 25.6
(78.1)		 17.5
(63.5)		 11.0
(51.8)		 24.4
(75.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9)		 6.5
(43.7)		 12.3
(54.1)		 18.2
(64.8)		 23.4
(74.1)		 28.1
(82.6)		 29.4
(84.9)		 27.5
(81.5)		 23.0
(73.4)		 16.8
(62.2)		 10.5
(50.9)		 5.6
(42.1)		 17.1
(62.9)
Average low °C (°F) 0.6
(33.1)		 2.2
(36.0)		 7.4
(45.3)		 12.5
(54.5)		 16.7
(62.1)		 20.2
(68.4)		 21.5
(70.7)		 19.5
(67.1)		 15.0
(59.0)		 10.1
(50.2)		 5.5
(41.9)		 1.7
(35.1)		 11.1
(52.0)
Record low °C (°F) −24.1
(−11.4)		 −22.6
(−8.7)		 −12.7
(9.1)		 −5.6
(21.9)		 4.0
(39.2)		 9.1
(48.4)		 11.0
(51.8)		 9.4
(48.9)		 3.5
(38.3)		 −4.2
(24.4)		 −10.9
(12.4)		 −20.0
(−4.0)		 −24.1
(−11.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 34.9
(1.37)		 46.6
(1.83)		 47.7
(1.88)		 48.6
(1.91)		 32.0
(1.26)		 10.3
(0.41)		 1.1
(0.04)		 0.9
(0.04)		 1.8
(0.07)		 7.9
(0.31)		 29.2
(1.15)		 33.3
(1.31)		 294.3
(11.58)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 8.2 11.2 7.0 5.9 2.7 0.2 1.0 0.8 1.3 3.7 6.4 7.3 55.7
Average relative humidity (%) 73.2 70.1 62.3 57.6 50.2 45.5 45.6 48.3 51.0 57.1 66.6 73.0 58.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 112 125 164 213 291 339 351 334 294 235 174 115 2,747
Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net,[11] climatebase.ru (precipitation days, humidity)[12]
Source 2: NOAA (sun only, 1961-1990)[13]

Notable people

Trivia

Finnish electronic duo Pan Sonic have a track entitled "Radio Qurghonteppa" on their 2010 farewell album Gravitoni.[14]

TV Khatlon

See also

References
  1. Агентии омори назди Президенти Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон. "ШУМОРАИ АҲОЛИИ ҶУМҲУРИИ ТОҶИКИСТОН ТО 1 ЯНВАРИ СОЛИ 2022" (PDF).
  2. "КОНСТИТУЦИЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАДЖИКИСТАН". prokuratura.tj. Parliament of Tajikistan. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  3. "Переименование ряда городов, районов и селений Хатлонской области | Президенти Тоҷикистон - President of Tajikistan - Президент Таджикистана - رئيس جمهورية تاجيكستان". prezident.tj. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  4. Borjian, Habib, “Kurgan Tepe”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Online edition 2005.
  5. Ethnic groups at risk: The status of Tajiks Heritage Society
  6. "Memories of the Tajik Civil War". CESMI. November 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  7. Hays, Jeffrey. "HEART OF THE TAJIK CIVIL WAR IN 1992 | Facts and Details". factsanddetails.com.
  8. "Renaming of a number of cities, districts and settlements of Khatlon Province | Президенти Тоҷикистон - President of Tajikistan - Президент Таджикистана - رئيس جمهورية تاجيكستان". prezident.tj.
  9. "Tajik authorities continue renaming cities and districts". Asia-Plus. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  10. "Kurgan Tube". Archived from the original on 2021-08-15. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  11. КЛИМАТ УЛАН-БАТОРА (in Russian). Pogoda.ru.net. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  12. "Kurgan-Tyube,Tajikistan". Climatebase.ru. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  13. "Climate Normals for Kurgan-Tjube". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  14. "Pan Sonic - Gravitoni". Discogs.
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