Pakistan-China Border: Length, Khunjerab Pass & Map
The definitive guide to the 596-kilometre frontier through the Karakoram — the 1963 boundary line, the Khunjerab crossing, the Karakoram Highway, and what travellers actually need to know.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
The Pakistan-China border is 596 kilometres (370 miles) long. It runs through the Karakoram Range in Gilgit-Baltistan, from the tripoint with Afghanistan to the disputed tripoint with India near Siachen. Its only land crossing is the Khunjerab Pass at 4,693 metres — the highest paved international border crossing on earth. The line was fixed by the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement of 2 March 1963, and the Karakoram Highway (KKH) carries all road trade between the two countries under CPEC.
At a glance
Pakistan-China border in numbers
The frontier is short by Pakistan’s standards — it is the country’s smallest international border — but it is the highest, the coldest, and the most strategic per kilometre.
Total border length
Imperial equivalent
Khunjerab Pass elevation
Boundary agreement year
The number
The border length at a glance
One number, a little context, and why a few sources print slightly different figures.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official length | 596 km (370 miles) — the figure used in Pakistani textbooks, CSS/PMS exam preparation and most reference works |
| Variant figures | Some older Pakistani texts print 585 km; a few international references give 592–593 km. The differences come from measurement method (straight-line vs along the ridgeline), not dispute over the line itself. |
| Shortest border | It is the shortest of Pakistan’s four international land borders — about one-fifth the length of the border with India. |
| Highest point | Khunjerab Pass, 4,693 m (15,397 ft), the highest paved border crossing in the world |
| Fixed by | Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement, signed in Beijing on 2 March 1963 |
If you are preparing for an exam, 596 km is the answer markers expect. The 585 km figure appears in some older books, and 523 km in a few Indian references, but the settled, widely cited length is 596 kilometres.
The route
Where the Pakistan-China border lies
The entire frontier runs through one province — Gilgit-Baltistan — and one mountain system, the Karakoram.
Western end
The line begins at the tripoint with Afghanistan in the far north of Gilgit-Baltistan, where Pakistan, China and Afghanistan meet near the Wakhan Corridor.
The Karakoram line
From there it runs roughly west–east along the main Karakoram watershed — the ridge dividing the Indus basin from the Tarim basin — past glaciers, 7,000-metre peaks and the Shaksgam Valley.
Eastern end
It ends at the disputed tripoint with India in the vicinity of the Siachen Glacier. India does not recognise the 1963 line; Pakistan and China do.
| Side | Administration | Districts / counties on the line |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Gilgit-Baltistan | Hunza, Nagar, Shigar and Ghanche districts |
| China | Xinjiang (Kashgar Prefecture) | Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County and Kargilik/Yecheng County |
History
The 1963 boundary agreement
The modern line is younger than Pakistan itself — it was drawn in the early 1960s, when the region’s maps were still being settled.
An undefined frontier
After 1947 Pakistan inherited the northern frontier of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, but no agreed boundary with China existed. The area was shown on maps as undefined or disputed.
The agreement signed
Pakistan and China signed the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement in Beijing. Pakistan ceded the Shaksgam Valley (the Trans-Karakoram Tract, roughly 5,180 sq km) to China, and the two sides jointly demarcated the line along the Karakoram watershed.
Demarcation
Joint teams surveyed and marked the boundary on the ground. The final protocol confirmed a line of 596 km from the Afghan tripoint to the Karakoram Pass area near Siachen.
The CPEC gateway
The border is the land gateway of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The 1963 line remains fully recognised by both Islamabad and Beijing; it is disputed only by New Delhi, which claims the Shaksgam area as part of Ladakh.
The crossing
Khunjerab Pass: the only crossing
There is exactly one way to drive between Pakistan and China — over the top of the Karakoram.
Pass elevation
In feet
Highest paved crossing worldwide
Road crossing on this border
Khunjerab (Khunjerav) Pass sits on the Karakoram Highway between Sost in Pakistan’s Hunza district and Tashkurgan in China’s Xinjiang. A daily bus service has run between Gilgit and Kashgar since 1 June 2006. The pass closes in winter — typically from late November/December to April — when snow blocks the road, and even in summer travellers should expect altitude effects, bitter wind and sudden weather changes. Note the curiosity of the crossing: traffic switches from left-hand driving (Pakistan) to right-hand driving (China) at the gate.
The road
The Karakoram Highway link
The KKH is the reason this remote frontier matters to Pakistan’s economy.
The Karakoram Highway — N-35 in Pakistan, G314 in China — runs about 1,300 km from Hasan Abdal (near Islamabad) to Kashgar, crossing the border at Khunjerab. Built jointly by Pakistan and China between 1959 and 1979 at the cost of hundreds of workers’ lives, it is often called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Today it is the land spine of CPEC: Chinese goods, machinery and construction material for corridor projects enter Pakistan through the Sost dry port, and Pakistani exports — textiles, seafood, agricultural produce — travel the same road in the other direction.
| Stretch | Distance (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Islamabad to Khunjerab Pass (via KKH) | ~850–900 km |
| Gilgit to Khunjerab Pass | ~270 km |
| Hunza (Karimabad) to Khunjerab Pass | ~175 km |
| Khunjerab Pass to Kashgar (China) | ~420 km |
| Hasan Abdal to Kashgar (full KKH) | ~1,300 km |
Perspective
How it compares with Pakistan’s other borders
The China frontier is short — but every kilometre of it runs above 3,000 metres.
| Border | Length | Crossings |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan–India | 2,912 km | Wagah-Attari (plus LoC) |
| Pakistan–Afghanistan (Durand Line) | 2,430 km | Torkham, Chaman and others |
| Pakistan–Iran | 909 km | Taftan, Gabd and others |
| Pakistan–China | 596 km | Khunjerab Pass only |
Practical
Visiting and crossing the border
Thousands of Pakistani tourists drive to Khunjerab every summer. Here is what the trip involves.
Getting there
The standard route is Islamabad → Naran/Babusar or the Hazara Motorway → Chilas → Gilgit → Hunza → Sost → Khunjerab. Allow at least two days of driving from Islamabad, with a night in Gilgit or Hunza to acclimatise. The pass is roughly 850–900 km from Islamabad by road.
Season and permits
The pass is open roughly May to November; dates shift with snowfall. Pakistani citizens need no special permit to reach the pass itself, but crossing into China requires a Chinese visa arranged in advance — the border post does not issue visas on arrival.
What to expect
At 4,693 m the air holds about 60% of the oxygen at sea level: walk slowly, drink water and watch for altitude sickness. Temperatures stay near freezing even in July. The famous photo stop is the white-tiled gate with the Chinese characters for the People’s Republic of China.
Trade travellers
Commercial traffic clears at the Sost dry port, Pakistan’s first inland port, before climbing to the pass. Traders need the standard customs documentation plus a Chinese visa; the NLC and private transporters run scheduled freight on the route.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions readers ask most about the Pakistan-China frontier.
What is the length of the Pak-China border?
The Pakistan-China border is 596 kilometres (370 miles) long, running through the Karakoram Range in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is the shortest of Pakistan’s four international land borders.
Why do some sources say 585 km or 523 km?
The 585 km figure appears in some older Pakistani books; 523 km shows up in a few Indian references. The differences come from measurement methods — straight-line versus ridgeline distance — and from political disagreement over the Shaksgam area. The settled, internationally cited length is 596 km.
Where exactly is the Pakistan-China border?
The whole frontier lies in Gilgit-Baltistan, along the Karakoram watershed. On Pakistan’s side it touches Hunza, Nagar, Shigar and Ghanche districts; on China’s side it faces Taxkorgan and Kargilik counties of Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang.
Can I cross from Pakistan into China by road?
Yes — but only at Khunjerab Pass, the single road crossing, and only with a Chinese visa obtained in advance. The pass is open roughly May to November and closes in winter. A daily Gilgit–Kashgar bus has operated since 1 June 2006.
When was the Pakistan-China boundary fixed?
The Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement was signed in Beijing on 2 March 1963, after which joint teams demarcated the 596 km line. Pakistan ceded the Shaksgam Valley (Trans-Karakoram Tract) to China under the deal.
What is the elevation of Khunjerab Pass?
Khunjerab Pass stands at 4,693 metres (15,397 feet) above sea level, making it the highest paved international border crossing in the world.
Explore Pakistan’s geography
Borders, rivers, mountain ranges and census data — browse the full Pakistan Geography collection.
Figures in this guide follow the settled 596 km measurement used in Pakistani reference works and international sources. Border lengths are approximate — measurement method and terrain make exact figures vary slightly between authorities.