Panjakent (; ; ), also spelled
Panjikent,
Panjekent,
Panjikant or
Penjikent, is a city in the
Sughd province of
Tajikistan on the
Zeravshan River, with a population of 33,000 (2000 census). It was once an ancient town in
Sogdiana. The ruins of the old town are on the outskirts of the modern city. The
Sarazm Important Bird Area lies downstream of the city on the
tugay-vegetated
floodplain of the river.