Which communities live in deep valleys near the Karakoram and Pamir ranges?

The communities residing in the deep valleys near the Karakoram Range and the Pamirs are ethnically and linguistically diverse, reflecting the region's history of migration and trade.12

In the western valleys of the Pamirs, the population is primarily composed of Mountain Tajiks, who are Ismāʿīlī Shīʿite Muslims and speak various eastern Iranian languages, such as Wakhi and Shugni. In the eastern Pamirs, the population is largely made up of Turkic-speaking Kyrgyz, who practice high-elevation pastoralism.1

The Karakoram Range is home to various groups, including:
* Mountain Tajiks: Who speak Wakhi and are interspersed with Kyrgyz and Uyghurs on the northern slopes.2
* Burushaski-speakers: Found in the Hunza and Nagir valleys, as well as the Yasin valley.2
* Dardic-speaking peoples: Located in the Gilgit district.2
* Tibetan-speaking populations: Residing in Baltistan and Ladakh.2

Most mountain dwellers in the Karakoram are Shīʿite Muslims, while Tibetan Buddhism is prevalent in Ladakh.2