The Alai-Pamirs and the Tien Shan

Abstract

The elevated regions considered in this chapter belong, at least in part, to the Himalayan System, so that this chapter is, in a sense, a continuation of the foregoing. Orographically, ecologically and biogeographically, the Northwest Himalaya, the Pamirs, the Tien Shan and the other principal mountains of Middle Asia (fig. 52) constitute together an immense locality of faunal development and differentiation. The region of the Altai Mountains is likewise another independent faunal centre of Central Asia. In view of the prevailing confusion in the existing English language literature, it is necessary, at the very outset, to clearly distinguish between Middle Asia and Central Asia. Middle Asia comprises the Soviet Socialist Republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikstan and Kirghiz (the Turkestan of old), the South Kazakstan and the North Afghanistan (north of the Hindu Kush Range). Central Asia includes the northern parts of the Kazak SSR, the Mongol Peoples’ Republic, the western provinces of China (Singkiang, Tsinghai), Tibet, parts of Kansu and the Inner Mongolia. The principal mountain ranges and high elevated regions of these areas are the Alai-Pamirs, the Tien Shan and the Altai. The Altai Mountains belong to the older mountain system and the others are Tertiary formations. The reader will find excellent accounts of the tectonics of the region in burrard & hayden (175), muschketow (786), a. von schultz (939) and c. c. schultz (940).