Bokhtar, previously known as Qurghonteppa, Kurganteppa and Kurgan-Tyube, is a city in southwestern Tajikistan, which serves as the capital of the Khatlon region. Bokhtar is the largest city in southern Tajikistan, and is located 100 km south of Dushanbe and 150 km north of Kunduz, Afghanistan.

Population

As of 2019, the city's population was estimated at 110,800, making it the third-largest city in the country. The population fluctuates depending on the season, due to the many Tajik migrant workers in Russia. Along with the capital Dushanbe, Bokhtar is more demographically diverse than other major Tajik cities such as Khujand, Kulob or Istaravshan. Its population includes Tajiks, Uzbeks, Russians, Pashtuns, Tatars, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Greeks, and many more. The city had a large number of ethnic Russians who worked in the industrial and agricultural complexes in and around the city. Bokhtar is a stronghold of Tajikistan's political opposition.

Overview

During the civil war in Tajikistan, Bokhtar (then Qurghonteppa) became the epicenter of conflict by the summer of 1992, and was seriously damaged. Many of the local Kulobi and Uzbeks were forced to flee in 1992, following attacks by the pro-opposition Gharmi forces. The city was officially renamed from Qurghonteppa to Bokhtar on 22 January 2018. The name change was one of many in Tajikistan targeting places whose names derive from the Uzbek and Kyrgyz languages. Near Bokhtar are the ruins of a Buddhist monastery complex called Ajina Tepe, believed to be built in the 7th or 8th centuries CE. It features a 12-meter-long image of Buddha in Nirvana. Bokhtar International Airport provides flights to a handful of cities in Tajikistan, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Climate

Bokhtar has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with cool winters and very hot summers. Precipitation is quite low. It is highest in the spring, while summers are very dry.

Notable people

Trivia

Finnish electronic duo Pan Sonic have a track entitled "Radio Qurghonteppa" on their 2010 farewell album Gravitoni.