Wakhi People
The Wakhi (approximately 58,000) inhabit the Wakhan Corridor and Pamir Mountains at 3,000-4,500 meters across Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and China. They endure extreme isolation, brutal winters (-40°C), thin air, and limited growing seasons. Yak herding, high-altitude agriculture, Ismaili Islam, and Silk Road trade heritage define this resilient mountain people surviving at the "Roof of the World."