Tajikistan renames world’s largest non-polar glacier

According to the decree, the glacier is the country’s largest and the biggest in the world outside the polar regions. Stretching 77 kilometers in length and covering approximately 700 square kilometers, it ranks as the third-largest glacier in Eurasia, surpassed only by the Karakoram’s Siachen and Baltoro glaciers.

The Vanjyakh glacier system itself comprises nearly 100 smaller glaciers. In 2025, the region was the focus of scientific research under the RECAP (Research on Climate and Cryosphere in the Pamirs) project, which brought together experts from Tajikistan, Germany, and France.

The expedition sought to establish a continuous monitoring system to track climate change and glaciological processes in one of Central Asia’s most vital freshwater reserves. Researchers installed autonomous monitoring stations at altitudes above 5,000 meters, enabling real-time data transmission to international climate research networks.

Experts emphasize that this data will significantly enhance understanding of glacier retreat and its implications for water resources across Central Asia. The Tajikistan Glacier is considered a critical barometer of future freshwater availability, underpinning the livelihoods of millions in the region.

Earlier, Tajikistan highlighted glacier loss as urgent regional challenge at a high-level regional seminar.