Spīn Ghar

Spīn Ghar / Safed Koh
Urdu: سفیدکوه
Highest point
Peak	Mount Sikaram, Afghanistan–Pakistan Border
Elevation	4,755 m (15,600 ft)
Coordinates	33°58′N 70°22′E / 33.967°N 70.367°E / 33.967; 70.367
Geography
Spīn Ghar / Safed Koh Afghanistan
Countries	Afghanistan and Pakistan
Provinces	Nangarhar, Logar, Paktia in Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan

The Spīn Ghar

]

Geography

The range extends from the

The highest peak is

Kurram

.

The closest cities to the Spīn Ghar are Jalalabad to the north; Gardez to the west; and Khost, and Parachinar in Pakistan to the south.

The range between

Geology

The White Mountains are part of the western rim that separates the

Eurasian plate

.

The base of the mountains consists of

On the southern flank of the Sikaram Sar follow from 2500 m from bottom to top: alluvial soils in valleys, limestone and dolomite up to 4000 m, an intermediate zone of slate at 4000 m, above crystalline rock.^[13]

Fauna

A 20,000 hectare biotope in the southwest of Spīn Ghar is listed as an important bird area in Afghanistan.^[14]

Agriculture and forestry

Above the nearly barren lower slopes, forests of pine and

reduced timber resources. The valleys still support some agriculture.

The rivers of the White Mountains serve the irrigation of the fields in the densely populated river valleys,^[15] which allows the pelvis of Jalalabad multiple harvests. Wheat, maize, various types of vegetables (onions, green beans, okra, tomatoes, etc.), cotton, opium poppies, lemons, sugar cane, and olives are also grown around Jalalabad.^[16][17][18] The Bara high valley in the southeast of the range is one of the most intensively used agricultural areas of the Pakistani tribal areas under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.^{[citation needed]}

Older reports speak of rich orchards in the valleys of Spīn Ghar with mulberry and pomegranate trees.^[19]

Wood from the eastern Afghan forests has been exported mainly to Pakistan since the 19th century, and in increasingly irresponsible quantities, so that Afghanistan imposed a complete export ban in 1975, which smugglers circumvented.^[20][21] In addition to the actual forestry there is or was a collection economy for pistachio nuts and the edible seeds of Pinus gerardiana.^[22]

Passes

Kurram Agency, below the Peiwar Pass

There are a few notable mountain passes in or near the Spīn Ghar mountain range. The famous Khyber Pass crosses a spur of the Spīn Ghar. A second crossing, near Mount Sikaram, is called Peiwar Pass or Gawi Pass and connects Parachinar city on the Pakistani side with the Aryob Valley of Paktia Province, Afghanistan. The most viable route over the main ridge of the White Mountains is the Agam Pass (3586 m), over which the distance from Jalalabad to Parachinar is 92 km.^[23]

History

The

cuts through these mountains.

According to

, with the latter trying to prevent the foreign fighters' incursion into Pakistan.

See also

• List of mountain ranges of the world
• List of highest mountains
  (a list of mountains above 7,200m)
• Environmental issues in Afghanistan
• Durand Line
• Koh-i-Baba

External links

References