Isfara (; ) is a city in Sughd Region in northern

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

, situated on the border with

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...

. The city was the seat of the former Isfara District. There are currently territorial disputes between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan over the area of Isfara Valley.

History

The first author who mentions Esfara as a town, is Bābor. He praised the orchards and fruits of Isfara, especially its almonds. The 16th century saw the construction of large public buildings, notably

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

s and medreseh. In the 18th century Isfara was the seat of the Khan of Ḵoqand whose wars with Bokhara resulted in the destruction of some historical monuments. Around 20 km south, in the village of Chorku, the

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

Hazrati Shoh Mausoleum, is carved from wood, partly dating back to the 8th century, a structure that is unique in Central Asia.

Demographics

The population of Isfara is mostly Tajik.

Geography

Isfara is situated near the border junction of three independent states

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

and

, at a height of 863m above sea level. The river Isfara flows through the city. Its territory is 832 km².

Climate

Typical for lowland Tajikistan, Isfara has a continental Mediterranean climate (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Dsa'') with hot, dry summers, chilly winters with significant precipitation, and pleasant springs with the year’s heaviest precipitation. The average temperature is with the warmest month being July with an average temperature of and the coldest month being January with an average temperature of . The average annual precipitation is and there are on average 74.3 days of precipitation.

Subdivisions

Before ca. 2018, Isfara was the seat of Isfara District, which covered the same area as the present city of Isfara. The city of Isfara covers Isfara proper, three towns and nine jamoats. These are as follows:Jamoat-level basic indicators
United Nations Development Programme in Tajikistan, accessed 3 October 2020

Economy

Some 20 industrial companies in Isfara produce electrical equipment, chemical and metallurgical products, construction materials, food products and others. Isfara is famous for its apricot orchards.

References

{{Sughd Populated places in Sughd Region Cities in Central Asia Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan border crossings