Map including Beyik Pass (labeled as NI-JO-T'A-SHIH SHAN-K'OU[3]) (AMS, 1966)Map including the Nezatash Pass area (1992)
Neztash Pass is a minor path on theSilk Road. During ancient times, it was not a main Silk Road route due to the fact that it took traveler far from settlements, lacked sources of water, and had a relatively higher elevation.[4]
However, during the 19th century, Neztash Pass was frequently used by European explorers passing through the region.[4]
That path sits on the border between China and Tajikistan in the historic region ofBadakhshan. In the 1890s, the Chinese, Russian, and Afghan governments signed a series of agreements that dividedBadakhshan, but China contested the result of the division. The dispute was eventually settled in 2002 when Tajikistan and China signed a border agreement.[5][1]
