The name “Vanchyakh Glacier” was changed to “Glacier of Tajikistan”. This is stated in the decree of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan “On the renaming of the “Vanchyakh Glacier” into the “Glacier of Tajikistan””, signed on June 3, 2026, reports NIAT “Khovar”.
The glacier, which received a new name, is considered the largest not only in Tajikistan, but throughout the world outside the polar regions. Its length is 77 kilometers and its area is about 700 square kilometers.
Among the glaciers of the Eurasian continent, it is second in area only to the Karakoram glaciers – Siachen, whose length is 76 kilometers and an area of 750 square kilometers, and Baltoro, which is 62 kilometers long and has an area of 750 square kilometers. The Vanchyakh system includes 100 glaciers.
In 2025, scientific research was carried out on the territory of the glacier. The international expedition took place within the framework of the RECAP project – Research on Climate and Cryosphere in the Pamirs. Scientists from Tajikistan, Germany and France took part in it. Work lasted from July 19 to August 23, 2025.
The main goal of the expedition was to create a comprehensive continuous monitoring system to study climate change and glaciological processes in one of the most important sources of fresh water in Central Asia.
Heavy equipment was delivered by hand at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters above sea level. Scientists worked in difficult conditions at high altitudes, with a lack of oxygen, cold and dangerous terrain. Despite this, they managed to launch an autonomous station that transmits real-time data to a central database.
All new stations were installed according to plan. The collected data will be included for the first time in an international climate research network. This will make it possible to more accurately assess and predict the processes of glacier melting, as well as their impact on the water resources of Central Asia.
The Tajikistan glacier, formerly known as Vanchyakh, is not only an object of scientific study. It is also considered an important indicator of future freshwater supplies for millions of people.
Previously, this glacier was called Fedchenko – in honor of the 19th century Russian scientist Alexei Fedchenko.
In 2023, it was renamed Vanchi as part of the process of changing the names of geographical features in Tajikistan.
