Much of the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border tracks along the Pyanj River, which is also known as Panj or Pyandzh, depending on where you are.

Stretching 700 miles (1,125km), it’s a vital artery of Central Asia and was once part of the ancient Silk Road route. Its glacial waters have supported agriculture for generations, but border tensions and Soviet-era mines affect access. The US-funded Friendship Bridge at Nizhni Pyanj is one of the border's few formal crossing points.

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