Zarafshon (river)
| Zarafshon | |
|---|---|
The Zarafshon in Ayni District, Tajikistan | |
The Zarafshon in the Amu Darya basin | |
| Location | |
| Country | Tajikistan, Uzbekistan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Zeravshan Glacier |
| • coordinates | 39°30′N 70°35′E / 39.500°N 70.583°E |
| Mouth | Qorakoʻl oasis |
• coordinates | 39°32′52″N 63°52′08″E / 39.5477°N 63.869°E |
| Length | 877 km (545 mi) |
| Basin size | 17,700 km2 (6,800 sq mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Cities | Panjakent, Samarkand, Bukhara |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Fan Darya, Kshtut, Magiyan |
The Zarafshon is a river in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia. Its name, "spreader of gold" in Persian, refers to the presence of gold-bearing sands in the upper reaches of the river. To the ancient Greeks it was known as the Polytimetus. It was also formerly known as Sughd River. The river is 877 kilometres (545 mi) long and has a basin area of 17,700 square kilometres (6,800 sq mi).