Description to topographic map set Tien Shan

The topographic map set Tien Shan has a short reference article now.

In this article all the necessary information about geological structure and tectonic relief of the Tien Shan is at your disposal. Here you can get some information about rivers and lakes situated on this territory. You will learn a lot about the mountains of Tien Shan themselves. Also it’ll be interesting for you to know more about glaciers and natural reserves, which are located in this region. The information of the article covers the sights and touristic places popular in Tien Shan. To crown it all, there’s a detailed info about the climate of the Tien Shan.

The Tien Shan is a mountain system located in Central Asia, on the border where Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China meet. The Tien Shan includes more than thirty peaks higher than 6,000 m. The highest point in the system is Victory Peak (7,439 m) and Hantengri Peak (6,995 m). The length of the Tien Shan from the west to the east is 2,500 km.

Orographically, the Tien Shan is divided into the northern, western, central, eastern and inner parts. The northern Tien Shan includes the Kyrgyz, the Kyungey-Ala-Too, the Ketmen, the Zailiy Alatau and the Chu-Iliy mountain ranges. The western part of the Tien Shan includes the Talas Alatau range with the adjoining Chatkal, Chandalash, Pskem, Maidantal, Ugam ranges. The highest point of the western Tien Shan are Chatkal Peak (4,503 m) in the Chatkal range, Manas Peak (4,482 m) in the Talas Alatau and Mount Baubash-Ata (4,427 m). The central Tien Shan is the highest and most majestic part of the Tien Shan mountain system. It is a complex system of overlapping mountain ranges (the Terskey-Ala-Too, the Sary-Jazz, the Kui-Liu, the Tag-Tengri, the Enilchek, the Kakshaal-Too and the Meridional Range), crowned with peaks of the northern mountains - Lenin Peak (7,134 m), the highest in the world, Victory Peak (7,439 m) and the splendid pyramid of Khan-Tengri (7,010 m).

The rivers of the Tien Shan belong to the Syr Darya basin as well as the Ili basin and the Chu basin. The rivers of the Western Tien Shan include the Angren, the Akbulak, the Itokar, the Karaunkur, the Koksu, the Maidantal, the Milei-Suu, the Naryn, the Oigaing, the Padysha-Ata, the Pskem, the Sandalash, the Ugam and the Chatkal.

There are many lakes in the Tien Shan, of which the largest and the most beautiful is Issyk-Kul. Its maximum depth is 702 m, its maximum length is 182 km and its maximum width is 58 km. Lakes Song-Kel and Chatyr-Kel are the most important lakes of the Inner Tien Shan.

The Chu valley in Kyrgyzstan is known for its natural, historical and cultural monuments and sights, such as Alamedin, Ala-Archa, Buran, Yssyk-Ata, Shamshy (Shamsy), Jong-Kemin and Aksu.

The ancient caravan route through the Torugart Pass (elevation 3752 m) is a way (its total length is about 700 km), which ran from Central Asia to Kashgar in China, through cold and narrow ravines and passes, such as Terksey-Ala-Too, Moldo-Too, At-Bashi and Maidantaga, and through incredibly picturesque landscapes and very ancient caravan routes of the Great Silk Road.