Khorog (taj. Khorug) was formed on the site of two small villages that existed here before the revolution, since 1925 it has been the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).
The city is located at the bottom of a deep gorge, at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, at the confluence of the Pyanj, Gunt and Shakhdara rivers, right near the border with Afghanistan; The Pamir Highway runs through the center of the city. Due to being in a deep canyon, the city is protected from strong winds and cold temperatures in winter; summers are warm and dry.
The population of the city is about 30,000, mostly from the Pamir ethnic groups.
Located in magnificent picturesque places, Khorog is a regional center of administration, trade, transport, and above all, education. The modest city is proud of its institutions of higher education, including the new branch of the University of Central Asia, Khorog State University and the Lyceum of the Aga Khan Foundation. City dwellers are known for their high level of education among Tajiks.
It is a very beautiful, green city with huge poplar trees and quaint Pamiri traditional houses on the outskirts. Although the city is relatively poor and declined during the 1990s, several new hotels and guest houses have been established in recent years, as well as internet cafes and Tajik restaurants.
The architecture in the city is typical of Central Asia, combining traditional Pamir houses and Soviet-style buildings. The city center (along the Pamir Highway) is made up entirely of Soviet buildings, fairly ordinary, but along the river and in the hills above the city, there are many unique and colorful Tajik houses with large terraces.
A magnificent renovation of the main park along the Gunt River has recently been completed, where hundreds of residents can now relax in the summer. Near Khorog on a hill is the Pamir Botanical Garden. This is the highest mountain botanical garden in the territory of the former USSR. It also ranks second in the world in terms of height above sea level, behind the botanical garden in Nepal. Plants, trees and shrubs from almost all countries of the world are collected here.
Khorog still has a number of Soviet-era milk, meat, bread, and several factories for household items such as shoes and building materials.
Most of the main transport routes in GBAO pass through Khorog, including the Pamir Highway north of Dushanbe and west of the city of Murghab, China and Kyrgyzstan. A dirt road passes through the Wakhan valley and Alichur. Another path leads east through the Shakhdara valley to the peaks of Karl Marx and Engels.
Public 12-14-seat minibuses run in all directions. For long trips, you can use a jeep or UAZ, which will be relatively more expensive. Arranging a trip to Khorog from remote locations such as Murgab can be more difficult.
Khorog has a small airport equipped with small propeller-driven aircraft that fly regularly to Dushanbe and other cities several times a week. This is the only regular airport in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region.
International aid organizations are very active in the development of the city, in particular the Aga Khan Foundation and the development programs of the United Nations and the European Union. The number of tourists is growing, which, despite the small number, bring economic benefits and significant changes in the region.