Murghob District
Demographics
The estimated population of the district is around 15,900 as of 2020. According to 2015 data, the majority of the population are Kyrgyz (around 80%) while a minority are Pamiris (estimated at 20% of the population).
Administrative divisions
The district is divided administratively into six jamoats. They are as follows:
| Jamoat | Population (Jan. 2015) |
|---|---|
| Alichur | 2,242 |
| Gozho Berdiboev | 1,368 |
| Karakul | 757 |
| Murghob | 7,468 |
| Qizilrabot | 1,675 |
| Rangkul | 1,569 |
Geography
It borders Afghanistan to the south, China's Xinjiang region to the east, and Kyrgyzstan to the north. Within Tajikistan it is bordered to the west by four other GBAO districts and the Region of Republican Subordination.
The land is mostly a desolate plateau with scattered mountains, especially toward the east and south. The highest mountains are around the Fedchenko Glacier in the northwest and along the Pamir River in the south. The population consists of around 65% Kyrgyz who migrated to the Pamirs in the late XIII century, and the rest are Pamiris who are indigenous people of the Tajik and Chinese Pamir Region. Formerly the highlands was used by both ethnicities mostly as summer pasture. The Pamir Highway curves from the southwest to the northeast. The four major lakes are Karakul in the northeast and three river lakes: Sarez Lake on the river Bartang, Yashil Kul on the river Gunt, and Zorkul on the Pamir River.
The district's eastern border shares the Sarikol Range with China.