Roof of the World: Kyrgyzstan
Nestled at 10,500 feet beneath the mountainous Chinese border, Ak-Shyrak was first established as a geological survey station for Soviet mining interests.
In the upper reaches of Kyrgyzstan’s Tian Shan Mountains—beyond fertile valleys lined with apricot trees and remnants of ancient Silk Road settlements—the arid climate has never been particularly welcoming.
“Tian” means celestial in Chinese, and these jagged peaks are among the closest on Earth to the heavens: Jengish Chokusu, near the country’s remote southeastern border with China, soars above 24,000 feet. The cold, thin air and treeless steppe seem better suited to snow leopards and Siberian ibex than to people. Yet for centuries, herders have roamed these barren slopes with their horses and sheep, carving out a life in search of pasture. Even before the climate changed, it was never an easy place to live. (See original story for World Wildlife Fund.)
