The Government of Tajikistan has officially renamed the Vanjyakh Glacier as the Tajikistan Glacier under a decree signed on June 3, 2026.

According to the decree, the glacier is the largest in the country and the largest in the world outside the polar regions. It measures 77 kilometers in length and covers about 700 square kilometers. Among Eurasian glaciers, it is second in area only to the Karakoram glaciers Siachen and Baltoro.

It was noted that the Vanjyakh glacier system comprises about 100 smaller glaciers. Scientific research was conducted in the region in 2025 as part of the RECAP (Research on Climate and Cryosphere in the Pamirs) project involving scientists from Tajikistan, Germany and France.

The expedition aimed to establish a continuous monitoring system to study climate change and glaciological processes in one of Central Asia’s key freshwater sources. Researchers installed autonomous monitoring stations at elevations above 5,000 meters, which transmit real-time data for international climate research networks.

Experts say the data will improve understanding of glacier melting and its impact on water resources in Central Asia. The glacier is also considered a critical indicator of future freshwater availability for millions of people in the region.