Population: 8 million
Number of Ismailis: 275 000
Key Area: The Pamir Mountains - A remote, semi-autonomous, ethnically distinct area of the country. Comprised of several different valleys, each with its own language, the area is home to a little over 200 000 people, mostly Ismaili.
The Pamirs host one of the most significant Ismaili communities. With a near 100% adherence, the region marks the largest community in the world where Ismailis are a majority. Tucked away in the mountains and for 70 years behind the Iron Curtain, it is also a community that has developed largely independently from the Ismaili world.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union a devastating civil war broke out across Tajikistan that proved a catalyst for a revival in Ismaili identity. Blockaded by the ruling regime and on the brink of starvation, the Pamiris were saved by UN aid convoys that included a contingent from the Aga Khan Development Network. The Aga Khan was heralded as a saviour. His philanthropic work continues to grow in this poor, rural area whilst Ismaili missionaries have worked hard to re-teach Ismailism and merge Pamiri and Ismaili identities.
Originally published 2 years ago