Lower part of Pyandj River

The Panj (Pyandj) river, fed by glaciers of the Pamir mountains, forms a long stretch of the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan as it winds through the country's Khatlon region. Its lower course was formally recognized as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on 18 July 2001, protecting the floodplain's reed beds, riparian woodland and seasonal wetlands that form along the riverbanks. These wetlands provide an important stopover and breeding habitat for large numbers of migratory waterbirds. In this stretch the river cuts through a steep canyon and includes stretches of fast, difficult rapids. Because it runs directly along a sensitive international border, much of the lower Panj has historically been under military patrol, and some areas still carry a legacy of landmines from the Soviet period, meaning visits are generally only advisable with a local guide.