Karakoram Highway

The 1,300 kilometer road over the 4,700 meter Khunjerab Pass linking Pakistan with China's far west.

Overview

Built over two decades from 1959 with heavy engineering losses among Chinese and Pakistani workers, the highway follows Silk Road branch geography through the Hunza valley and crosses Khunjerab, the highest paved international border crossing. Trade volumes are modest against its strategic weight: Chinese goods southbound, Pakistani produce and transit trade northbound. The 2010 Attabad landslide dammed the Hunza river and forced years of boat transfers until cuttings reopened the road. China-Pakistan corridor investment has upgraded sections and built the Sost dry port, and the road itself has become a destination for travelers.