Shortugai

Shortugai Exclave Jebul Sortugaiy Jebul Horat'thana (obsolete)
Unitary authority
Tributary creek of the Oxus River
Country	Mel-akkam
Capital	Shortugai City (de facto)
Government
• President	Abdullah Hassan (Liberal Democratic Party)
• Legislature	Shortugai Council
Area
• Total	... km2 (0 sq mi)
Population  (2020 census)
• Total	103,691,802
Province Number	10
Website	sgexclave.ml (planned)

Shortugai, officially the Shortugai Exclave and formerly known by its Dravidian name Horat'thana, is a sui generis unitary authority in Mel-akkam, simultaneously a region, province, and local government district. Located in the Oxus River Valley between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the exclave is home to large Pashtun and Tajik populations. It is the second-smallest and least populous of Mel-akkam's provinces.

History

Shortugai was established around 2000 BCE as a trading post for exchanges with the Oxus civilisation. By 1700 BCE, it was no longer used for this purpose, as the people of Oxus civilisation had moved south through Mel-akkan territory and into the Indian subcontinent, but the town remained and expanded. Around 100 CE, it was subjected to an assault by the Parthians, but the attack was repelled after its inhabitants forged a temporary alliance with the Roman Empire. By the Middle Ages, Shortugai had become an important caravanserai on the Silk Road, bringing great wealth to the town and allowing it to expand its sphere of influence into the surrounding valleys. Increased trade also resulted in the inhabitants of Shortugai developing a much more materialist outlook than their fellow Thari and Saurashtran Mel-akkans, a pattern which continues to this day. Shortugai, along with the rest of Mel-akkam, was annexed by the Mughals in 1561 and by the British Raj in 1678, and became home to a number of hill stations. During World War II, it was one of seven Mel-akkan provinces that did not come under the control of Maina Kathina's collaborationist regime. Shortugai joined the new Mel-akkan state when the latter gained its independence in 1947. Ever since, it has been governed as a sui generis unitary authority.

Geography

Shortugai is Mel-akkam's second-smallest province, and is often described as a city-state. While it has significant amounts of non-urban territory, including mountains and river valleys, 93% of its population is concentrated within the eponymous City of Shortugai. Other populations centres include former British hill stations and agricultural hamlets. Shortugai's climate is much colder than anywhere else in the country, and it is the only province to experience regular snowfall, making it a tourist destination for Mel-akkans seeking to escape the heat and engage in winter sports such as skiing.

Climate data for Shortugai
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	7.2 (45.0)	9.1 (48.4)	15.4 (59.7)	20.5 (68.9)	26.0 (78.8)	31.6 (88.9)	34.1 (93.4)	32.7 (90.9)	28.1 (82.6)	21.4 (70.5)	13.8 (56.8)	9.1 (48.4)	20.8 (69.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	1.0 (33.8)	2.9 (37.2)	9.1 (48.4)	14.6 (58.3)	20.1 (68.2)	25.4 (77.7)	28.0 (82.4)	26.5 (79.7)	21.8 (71.2)	15.2 (59.4)	7.9 (46.2)	2.6 (36.7)	14.6 (58.3)
Average low °C (°F)	−4.6 (23.7)	−3.2 (26.2)	2.5 (36.5)	7.6 (45.7)	12.3 (54.1)	16.5 (61.7)	19.5 (67.1)	18.5 (65.3)	14.3 (57.7)	8.6 (47.5)	2.4 (36.3)	−2.8 (27.0)	7.6 (45.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	53 (2.1)	68 (2.7)	90 (3.5)	96 (3.8)	60 (2.4)	7 (0.3)	1 (0.0)	0 (0)	2 (0.1)	17 (0.7)	40 (1.6)	41 (1.6)	475 (18.8)