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 The Karakoram Highway (KKH) is the highest paved international road in the world. It connects China and Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain range, through the Khunjerab Pass, at an altitude of 4,693 m/15,397 ft. as confirmed by both SRTM and multiple GPS readings. It connects China's Xinjiang region with Pakistan's Northern Areas and also serves as a popular tourist attraction. It is also referred to as National Highway 35 or N35. Due to its high elevation and the difficult conditions in which it was constructed, it is also referred to as the "Ninth Wonder of the World."
History
The Karakoram Highway, also known as the Friendship Highway in China, was built by the governments of Pakistan and China, and was completed in 1986, after 20 years of construction. 810 Pakistani and 82 Chinese workers lost their lives, mostly in landslides and falls, while building the highway. The route of the KKH traces one of the many paths of the ancient Silk Road.
On the Pakistani side, the road was constructed by FWO (Frontier Works Organization), employing the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers. Presently, the Engineer-in-Chief branch of the Pakistani Army is working on a project documenting the history of the highway. It is being written by Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Mumtaz Khalid, who oversaw its construction.
The Highway
The highway, connecting the Northern Areas of Pakistan to the ancient Silk Road, runs approximately 1,300 km from Kashgar, a city in the Xinjiang region of China, to Havelian, located in the Abbottabad District of Pakistan. An extension of the highway meets the Grand Trunk Road at Hasan Abdal, west of Islamabad, Pakistan.
The highway cuts through the collision zone between the Asian and Indian continents, where China, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan come within 250km of each other. Owing largely to the extremely sensitive state of the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan, the Karakoram highway has strategic and military importance.
On June 30, 2006, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Pakistani Highway Administration and China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) to rebuild and upgrade the KKH. According to SASAC, the width of the highway will be expanded from 10 metres to 30 metres, and its transport capacity will be increased three times. As well, the upgraded road will be constructed to particularly accommodate heavy-laden vehicles and extreme weather conditions.
China and Pakistan are also planning to link the Karakoram Highway to the southern port of Gwadar in Balochistan through the Chinese-aided Gwadar-Dalbandin railway, which extends up to Rawalpindi.
Chinese Section
 The Chinese Section of the Karakoram Highway follows the north-south Sarykol ('Yellow Lake') valley just west of the Tarim Basin, which is barely visable in the satellite image ar left. The road from Kashgar goes southwest about 80km and then turns west to enter the Gez (Ghez) River canyon between Chakragil mountain on the north and Kongur mountain on the south. From the Gez canyon the population becomes Kirgiz. Having climbed up to the valley, the road turns south past Kongur, Karakul Lake and Muztagh Ata on the east. Below Muztagh Ata a new road goes west over the Kulma Pass to join the Pamir Highway in Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan. The main road continues over a low pass (where the population becomes Tajik) and descends to Tashkurgan Town. Further south a valley and jeep track leads west to the Wakhan Corridor. Next the road turns west to the Khunjerab Pass, beyond which is Pakistan, the Khunjerab River and Hunza.
(In 747 Gao Xianzhi, a Tang general crossed the Broghol Pass into what is now Pakistan - the furtherest Chinese penetration in this direction. He was later defeated at the Battle of Talas and the Chinese withdrew from the region.)
Towns
Rawalpindi, Hasanabdal, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Shinkiari, Batgram, Besham, Beshari, Dasu, Chilas, Bunji, Gilgit, Denyor, Chalt, Nagar, Karimabad, Gulmit, Passu, Sost, Khunjerab Pass, Tashkurgan, China, Ghez, Upal, Kashgar - Chinese railhead - 1435mm gauge.
Tourism
In recent years, the highway has become a destination for adventure tourism. The road has also given mountaineers and cyclists easier access to the many high mountains, glaciers and lakes in the area. The highway also provides access to Gilgit and Skardu from Islamabad by road. These are the two major hubs for mountaineering expeditions in the Northern Areas of Pakistan administered Kashmir The Northern Areas Administration of Pakistan and the Xingjiang Administration of China have signed an agreement to issue border passes to their permanent residents. This pass is valid for a calendar year and is used to travel through Khunjerab Pass only.
Mountains and glaciers
Karakoram Highway provides the pathway to expeditions for almost all peaks in the Northern Areas of Pakistan Kashmir and several peaks in Xinjiang China. The region includes some of the world's largest glaciers like Baltoro Glacier. Five of the Eight-thousanders (above 8,000m) of the world that are in Pakistan are accessible by the highway. The peaks include:
• K2, border of Pakistan Kashmir and China, 2nd highest in the world at 8,611m.
• Nanga Parbat, Pakistan Kashmir, 9th highest of the world at 8,125m
• Gasherbrum I, border of Pakistan Kashmir and China, 11th highest of the world at 8,080m.
• Broad Peak, border of Pakistan Kashmir and China, 12th highest of the world at 8,047m.
• Gasherbrum II-IV, Pakistan Kashmir, 13th-17th highest of the world at 8,035m-7,932m
• Masherbrum (K1), Pakistan Kashmir, 22nd highest of the world at 7,821m.
• Muztagh Ata, China, 7,546m.
• Kongur Tagh, China, 7,719m.
Rivers and lakes
Several lakes are also made accessible by the highway. These include:
• Karakul Lake in Xinjiang (China)
• Sheosar Lake in Deosai Plains
• Satpara Lake in Skardu
• Shangrila Lake in Skardu
• Rama Lake near Astore
Deosai Plains
Deosai Plains at 4,115 m (13,500 feet) are in the South of Skardu and in the East of the Astore Valley. The plains cover an area of 3,000 km². The area was declared as Deosai National Park in 1993.
Bus service between Gilgit and Kashghar
On June 1, 2006, a daily bus service began between Gilgit, FANA, Pakistan Azad Kashmir and Kashghar, China, through the Sust and Tashkorgan border area.
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The KKH
