The Chagai Hills is a granite mountain range located in the Chagai District in Balochistan, Pakistan. The Chagai Hills face the border wall at the Durand Line– the official name of Afghanistan–Pakistan border.
The highest peak, Malik Naru, at the Chagai Hills is measured at and is a site of volcanic Koh-i-Sultan.
Overview
Location and topography
During its time as part of the India under the British Queen Victoria, the British Geological Survey conducted the geological survey of the Chagai Hills, which was able to provide its coordinates lies between in 1908. The more precise coordinates were provided by the extensive geological survey by the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) which provided the coordinates at in 1983.
The Chagai Hills are stretched over an area that is approximately and wide. The highest peak, Malik Naru, at the Chagai Hills is measured at and is a site of volcanic Koh-i-Sultan. The Chagai Hills are mostly granite mountains, some with average height of The geological survey to explore uranium was also conducted in the region in 1957.
The Chagai Hills are continuous subject of interest of Volcanology which the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) has commissioned its studies in a joint venture with the United States since 1997. The Koh-i-Sultan (lit. Mountain of the King) is a prominent site where its activity has provided scientific opportunity to the Pakistani seismologists and volcanologists.
Climate
The Chagai Hills lie in an arid dry zone, which is outside the main monsoon belt, and lies in a very remote area since the absence of the water. The Chagai Hills receives only an average of of rain annually.
With Pakistani administrations following the policy of deliberate ambiguity, the Chagai Hills were continuously suspected as a nuclear test site by the Western media outlets.
The Ras Koh Range is the official Ministry of Defense range and designated nuclear test site where the nuclear weapon testing took place in 1998. The confusion is attributed in reporting due to the Pakistan's MoD codenamed the tests as Chagai to maintain secrecy at the actual weapon testing venues.