Central asia composition. Central Asian region

The subcontinent Central Asia is located in the center of the Eurasian continent. Determining the boundaries of this region has some difficulties. The concept of "Central Asia" was first introduced by A. Humboldt in the middle of the 19th century. In his three-volume monograph, which bears this name (1843), he refers to the region all Asian territories with desert landscapes, remote from the oceans and protected from their influence by mountains. According to A. Humboldt, the entire Central Asia and Tibet are included in the subcontinent.

V. A. Obruchev called the desert plateaus north of Kunlun Central Asia. The author of the monograph “Central Asia” (1959), V. M. Sinitsyn, considers the inland position with mountain barriers along the margins, the aridity of the climate and the absence of peripheral runoff to be specific features of the region. According to these features, all the internal basins of Central and Central Asia, most of Tibet (except the east) and the Eastern Pamirs should be attributed to the subcontinent.

In the textbook "Foreign Asia" (1956), the author of the corresponding section, the well-known researcher and expert on this region, E. M. Murzaev, refers to Central Asia all the internal basins of Asia from the state border of the former USSR in the north to the southern outskirts of Tibet. In T. V. Vlasova's regionalization, approximately the following boundaries are accepted.

After the collapse of the USSR, the territory of the Central Asian republics and Kazakhstan is considered as part of the Central Asian subcontinent. Thus, Central Asia includes the following physical and geographical countries: Central Kazakhstan, the plains of the Turan Plate and the Balkhash region, the mountains and basins of Northwestern China and Central Asia, the plains and plateaus of Southern Mongolia and Northern China, Northern Mongolia, Pamir - Hindu Kush - Karakoram , Kunlun - Altyntag - Nanshan, Tibetan Plateau. In the north, the subcontinent is bordered by Western Siberia and the mountains of Southern Siberia, in the east with Eastern, in the south - with South Asia, in the west - with the Southern Urals and Mugodzhary, the Caspian Sea, then in the southwest - with the Iranian Highlands.

The general features of the nature of the subcontinent are determined by the position in the central part of the mainland, within the temperate and subtropical zones with a pronounced continental climate.

The main natural features of Central Asia:

- "lattice-honeycomb" structure of the surface. Almost the entire region is a system of basins bounded by more or less high mountains and uplands. The central parts of the basins are hard boulders of different geological age, mountain uplifts are formed by neotectonic movements within mobile belts of different ages. On this basis, all the physical and geographical countries of the subcontinent are similar, except for Central Kazakhstan.

- Large amplitudes of heights. They are associated with the activity of neotectonic movements (the Turfan depression lies at an altitude of 154 m below sea level, the Chogori mountain in the Karakorum has an absolute height of 8611 m). There is evidence that over the past 10 thousand years, the Kunlun, Nanshan and other mountains have risen by 1300-1500 m.

- Aridity of the climate, due to the inland position and the hollow relief. Many features of different components of nature are connected with this.

— Thus, the erosional dissection of mountain slopes occurred only in pluvial epochs; glaciation did not develop, as it was not enough; ancient leveling surfaces have been preserved; modern denudation is slow, mainly due to the processes of weathering, scree and the work of temporary streams; clastic material is not carried away far from the slopes where it was formed (“mountains are drowning in their own debris”); groundwater is usually deep, often mineralized; the rivers are shallow, sometimes they do not flow anywhere; lakes are mostly salty, often with unstable outlines, and in some cases “wander” from one shallow basin to another; dominate, and dry steppes on brown, gray-brown and in some places chestnut soils; solonchaks and solonetzes are widespread; plants and animals have adaptations to live in arid conditions.

- Disorganized runoff (according to V. M. Sinitsyn): areas of internal runoff and endorheic ones predominate. This is due to both the aridity of the climate and the hollow structure of the territory.

- The highest degree of continental climate: annual temperature amplitudes can reach 90 ° C, low winter temperatures are especially characteristic. The features of continentality are most clearly manifested in numerous large and small basins, so characteristic of the relief of the region.

— Central Asia has long been a little-studied region. Mountain barriers, harsh climatic conditions, remoteness from European countries interfered with the penetration of scientific expeditions into the Central Asian territory. The political isolation of many parts of the region also played a role. Only in the 19th century the first expeditions took place, and, overcoming natural obstacles and the resistance of the Mongolian, Tibetan and Chinese authorities, scientists from many countries explored and mapped this territory.

The contribution of Russian scientists and travelers is great. The expeditions of N. M. Przhevalsky (1870-1885), G. N. Potanin (1876-1899), M. V. Pevtsov (1876-1890), T. E. Grum are connected with the discovery for Europeans, description, study of Central Asia -Grzhimailo (1889-1903), V. I. Roborovsky (1890-1895), V. A. Obruchev (1892-1894), P. K. Kozlov (1893-1909), G. Ts. Tsybikov (1899-1902) ), etc. These were complex expeditions, very difficult and very productive. Research continues today. In the 20-30s. 20th century artist with a historical and philological education, archaeologist, ethnographer N.K. Roerich organized two long expeditions to Central Asia, during which extensive material was collected about the nature and population of the region. Europeans had more ancient contacts with the states of Central Asia.

— Central Asia is populated unevenly. Mainly river valleys and intermountain basins, where there is water, have been developed, as well as some northern regions with a more favorable climate. Vast areas within the region are generally devoid of permanent population. The lack of water hinders the use of the natural resources of Central Asia, but due to this, within the subcontinent, relatively little-modified natural complexes occupy large areas. The environmental conditions that are extreme for organisms and prevail in the region require extremely careful and thoughtful steps in its development. The misuse of scarce water supplies has already led to irreparable consequences in some parts of the subcontinent.

Mountains and basins of Northwestern China and Central Asia

This physical and geographical country is located between the mountain uplifts of the Kunlun - Altyntag - Nanshan system from the west and south and the Mongolian Altai from the northeast. In the north, the border runs along the foothills of the Tien Shan, Dzungarian Alatau and Tarbagatai, and in the southeast - along the foothills of the Beishan Plateau. The whole territory lies within China and Kyrgyzstan and unites two large basins - Dzungar and Kashgar (Tarim), surrounded by mountains.

In Northwestern China, the features characteristic of all the physical and geographical countries of Central Asia are most clearly manifested.

It combines folded-blocky mountain systems of the Paleozoic geological age, raised by neotectonic movements along faults to a great height, with depressions filled with thick sedimentary strata of different ages.

The ridges of the Eastern Tien Shan are separated from the Dzhungar and Kashgar basins by faults and descend into these basins in gentle steps, forming a system of foothills. In the Tien Shan there are two axial ranges with a strip of depressions between them. Typically alpine relief is inherent only in certain parts of the highest ranges, processed by glaciers. Fragments of ancient leveling surfaces are clearly expressed, which indicates a long and complex history of the development of the mountain system. The surface of the Dzhungar and Kashgar basins is covered with sand and rubble as a result of developed processes of physical weathering and the removal of material from the mountains by temporary streams and a few rivers. Along the foothills on the outskirts of the Kashgar basin stretches a strip of forests. The central parts of the depressions are massifs of loose sands - the Dzosotyn-Elisun and Takla-Makan deserts.

The Eastern Tien Shan is characterized by a sharp differentiation of heights.

On the border of China and Kyrgyzstan, there are the Pobeda peak - 7439 m (the highest point of the Tien Shan) and the Khan-Tengri massif - 6995 m. Among the intermountain basins of the system is the Turfan depression, the dry bottom of which is lowered 154 m below the ocean level.

The entire region has a sharply continental climate.

Even on the slopes of the mountains, up to 300 mm of precipitation falls. In the basins, their number decreases to 100 mm, and in some places even less. Summer showers sometimes do not reach . Summers are hot, with large diurnal temperature ranges. Winters are cold - in Dzungaria (40th latitude), the average January temperatures are up to -16 ° C, in the more southern Kashgaria - 7-10 ° C (36-42 ° N). There is little snow, only high in the mountains during the winter a snow cover accumulates, the melting of which gives water to the rivers.

Almost the entire territory belongs to the internal runoff basins. The main rivers are the Tarim and the Ili.

Along the Ili in the intermountain depression is the largest oasis - Kuldzhinsky. Further, the river flows down to the basin of Lake Balkhash. Tarim wanders around the basin, breaks up into arms, changes direction, leaving oases with settlements without water, which have to be abandoned because of this. The place of the mouth of the river has not been determined either: in different years it flows in different directions. Most of the rivers flowing down from the mountains into the basins are lost in the sands, dismantled for irrigation, or sometimes fill salt lakes with water. The wandering lake Lobmore is widely known, which changes its area, shape and even location depending on which rivers and how much water they carry into it. The sands periodically cover the channels of the Tarim and Konchedarya, which feed the lake, so that at times it disappears altogether.

Some areas of sandy and gravelly deserts are completely devoid of vegetation, in other places they are typical desert communities with wormwood, saltwort, ephedra, camel thorn, tamarisk, sometimes with saxaul on the sands.

Only in the marginal mountains at altitudes of 1800-3000 m do forests of pine, Tien Shan spruce, elm, and aspen appear. Poplar, desert elm, and willows grow along dry riverbeds. There are meadows in mountain valleys and on the slopes of high mountains.

The typical Central Asian fauna with an admixture of Siberian species is quite well preserved in the region. Przhevalsky's wild horses, camels and donkeys still live in Dzungaria. In the mountains - deer, mountain goats and rams, wild boars. There are predators - a red wolf, a gobi bear, a leopard, even a tiger in the riverside thickets. Lots of birds.

The relatively rare population of the region is concentrated mainly in oases along mountain slopes and river channels. Agriculture is possible only with artificial irrigation.

The most densely populated valleys and basins and slopes of the Tien Shan, where in some places even rain-fed agriculture is possible. Where people live, systems of canals, reservoirs, wells, gutters, etc. have long existed. Cotton, melons are grown, grapes and fruit trees are grown with special measures to protect against winter frosts. Cattle graze in the mountains. As elsewhere, in an arid climate with hot summers, there is a great danger of desertification. Additional difficulties for life are created by the inconstancy of riverbeds and lake basins, moving sands that fill watercourses and dwellings. Excavations show that the population within the region often had to leave their habitats and move to other places where there is water.

Plains and plateaus of southern Mongolia and northern China

The Gobi and Beishan plateaus, the Ordos plateau, and the Alashan desert have typical Central Asian features. They form a system of plateaus, high plains and blocky mountains, located between the Great Khingan, Yinshan and Loess plateau in the east and southeast, Nanshan - Altyntag - in the southwest, Kashgaria and Dzungaria - in the west, Northern Mongolia - in the north. The territory belongs to Mongolia and China.

The region has a geological basis of different ages and structurally different.

For example, the Beishan Plateau is a socle massif on a Precambrian base raised to a height of more than 2000 m. It is believed that this is one of the oldest land areas within Central Asia with a stable tectonic regime. The Gobi is a system of small hills, ridges, island ranges and between them layered plains (900-1200 meters in height), composed of Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary rocks. The Ordos Plateau is a syneclise filled with Mesozoic sandstones.

Despite such a variety of geological structure, the physical and geographical country has some common features nature.

Arid sharply continental climate is typical for the entire region. The amount of precipitation does not exceed 300 mm, and in the interior and western regions - 200 mm, in some places even less than 100 mm per year. Summer precipitation.

Despite modern arid conditions, erosional landforms are widespread in the region. This is evidence that in the past there was a humid climate. It is believed that during the Ice Age there were many rivers and lakes in this area. The pluvial epoch was replaced by an arid one, even drier than at present, during which aeolian processes developed.

Large temperature amplitudes are characteristic of modern climatic conditions.

Summers are hot (at average monthly temperatures of 22-24°C, it can warm up to 45°C, and the soil - up to 70°C). Winters with frosts, little snow. The daily temperature fluctuations are great, especially in transitional seasons, when they can reach 2-3 tens of degrees.

There are almost no rivers (the Huang He River is a transit watercourse that has no tributaries here). The lakes, as in other regions of Central Asia, are salty, endorheic, with variable levels and outlines. At the foot of the mountains there are groundwater outlets, which are used by the population along with shallow wells. These are the main sources of water.

The vegetation is desert: on the sands - thickets of saxaul, caragana, dzhuzgun, there are ephemeroids, on gravelly areas and solonchaks - wormwood, saltwort, gobi feather grass. Desert elm, poplar and tamarix sometimes grow along dry riverbeds. The altitudinal zonality is not expressed: the slopes are often entirely occupied by desert formations or dry steppes. Only in some places (in Alashan and Yinshan) there are small areas forests. In the north of the Gobi, cereal steppe groups are developed - good pasture lands.

The population is rare. The main occupation is cattle breeding, sheep, camels, horses are bred. Agriculture exists in the rare river valleys. The main problems are related to the lack of water. There is evidence that people had to leave their habitable places due to the depletion of water sources.

Hindu Kush - Karakoram - Pamir

Some physical and geographical countries are included in Central Asia, in which, on the one hand, the features of nature that are common to the entire continent are definitely manifested, but on the other hand, they are distinguished by features associated with the fact that these are high-mountainous regions. The Pamirs, the Hindu Kush and the Karakorum, the Kunlun-Altyntaga-Nanshan systems and the Tibetan Plateau are areas that have very specific features of nature, since these are high and highest mountain systems. According to some zoning schemes, they are distinguished into a special subcontinent - High Asia (Vlasova T.V. . M., 1976). However, these regions have natural features that are typical for the whole of Central Asia: aridity and extreme continental climate, disorganized runoff, the predominance of desert landscapes, the species composition of flora and fauna, etc.

In the north, the Pamir mountain junction is separated from the Southern Tien Shan (Pamir-Alai) by the Alai valley and the river. Panj, in the west of Kopet-Dag - the tectonic valley of the river. Herirud. In the south, the border runs along the foothills of the Hindu Kush, in the east - along the depressions between the Karakorum and the Kunlun ranges.

The Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Pamirs are included in the mountain junction, which was apparently formed as a result of the powerful pressure of the Hindustan block, which, when the Tethys Ocean closed, came into contact with rigid Paleozoic structures in this area, which caused the manifestation of active tectonic movements and the formation of the highest folded and blocky-folded mountain systems. The structure and features of the nature of the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush are not well known, since these are hard-to-reach and sparsely populated regions. The Pamirs are better studied. It is clear that the main natural features of all three mountainous countries are associated with high mountain relief and position in the center of the continent in the outlying parts of the high uplands - Iranian and Tibetan. Internal differences in these mountain systems are determined by the altitudinal zonality and, to a large extent, by the exposure of the slopes.

All three mountainous countries are based on folded structures formed during the epoch of the Alpine orogeny. Paleozoic crystalline rocks emerge in the axial zones, while Mesozoic sedimentary complexes crumpled into folds predominate over most of the territory. Within the Pamirs (especially in the northwest), dislocated Paleozoic limestones and sandstones are widely represented. The Pamirs are distinguished by the predominance of red-colored rocks of different ages (even on satellite images it stands out as a red rectangle).

The mountains have been raised to their present height by the latest movements along the faults. Young tectonic ascending movements have created a high-altitude relief. Within mountainous countries, systems of leveling surfaces and steep slopes, dissected by faults and erosion, are combined. The heights of the mountains and passes in the Hindu Kush increase from west to east from 5000 m in the western ranges to 6000-7000 m in the east. The passes in the western Hindu Kush lie at an altitude of 3000 meters (Trans-Hindukush highway crosses the mountains along the Shibar pass - 2987 meters), in the east - even higher. Karakoram has an average height of almost 6000 m, three peaks of this system exceed 8000 meters (Chogori - 8611 m - the second highest in the world), and passes with heights of about 5000 meters are difficult to access throughout the year. The ridge is processed by glaciers and erosion and has a typical alpine relief.

In the Pamirs, blocky and folded-blocky morphostructures predominate: highlands - on the Cenozoic basement in the west, on the Paleozoic basement in the center and east, middle mountains - on the Mesozoic and Paleozoic structures in the west and northwest.

In general, the highly dissected relief of the Western Pamirs is similar to the Hindu Kush, here in the ridge of the Academy of Sciences is the highest point of the system - the city of Samani (7495 meters). The relief of the Eastern Pamirs is rather flat-mountainous: at altitudes of 4000-6000 meters the relative excesses are small, the valleys are wide and filled with loose deposits, and only individual ridges on the ridges have a high-altitude appearance.

Until now, the region is characterized by a high degree of seismicity. For example, in the Pamirs every day in different points earthquakes of 4-5 points are recorded, there are often strong shocks (more than 7 points).

Modern glaciation plays an important role in shaping the nature of the region. The snow line lies at altitudes of 4000-5000 meters.

It rises highest (up to 6200-6400 meters) in the extreme northeast of the Karakoram, since there is little precipitation due to the distance from their main sources - the western transfer of moisture from the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian monsoon. The exposure of the slopes is very important: on the western and southern slopes there is more precipitation and the snow line is lower, on the northern and especially eastern slopes the amount of precipitation is much less, and the snow line rises to a considerable height. Only in the western Hindu Kush do the northern slopes receive slightly more moisture than the southern ones, so the glaciers there descend lower.

A significant role is played by local orographic conditions - the ratio of shady and sunny slopes, the presence of areas for the accumulation of snow and ice, etc. total area glaciation in the Karakorum is about 15,400 km 2 (according to measurements in photographs from space), 5 glaciers exceed 50 km in length. Glaciers, predominantly of the dendritic and valley type, stretch almost in a continuous strip along the mountain ridges, leaving only some passes free.

The area of ​​the Hindu Kush glaciers is estimated at approximately 6000 km 2 (according to aerial photography). Basin and valley glaciers predominate, some of them reach a length of 15-30 km. Avalanches play an important role in feeding the glaciers of both mountainous countries. In the Pamirs, glaciers occupy about 8400 km2. The largest glacier - Fedchenko in the ridge of the Academy of Sciences has a length of 77 km. This is one of the longest mountain glaciers on Earth. The Pamir glaciers are characterized by rapid periodic shifts of several meters in a short time.

Many rivers of the Indus basin and endorheic regions of Central and Central Asia originate from the slopes of the mountains. Their importance is very great for irrigation of agricultural land in the foothills and intermountain valleys. Rivers have huge reserves of hydropower. The Vakhsh hydroelectric complex is known with a cascade of hydroelectric power stations and a system of reservoirs, the waters of which irrigate the lands of the Vakhsh valley. Lakes are either dammed (for example, Sarez in the Pamirs), or saline, drainless in tectonic depressions (the largest is Karakul).

The mountains are distinguished by a high degree of continental climate. a huge role slope exposure plays a role in the distribution of precipitation. In general, the western and northwestern slopes receive many times more moisture than the eastern ones. The climate of the highlands is especially harsh.

In the Eastern Pamirs, the average monthly temperatures in July reach only 5°C with daily amplitudes up to tens of degrees. In winter, frosty weather prevails here (-25 ... -30 ° С). Registered -63°С. From a depth of 1.5 m permafrost is observed. The southern slopes of the mountains are better moistened only within the Karakorum, where the Indian monsoon reaches.

Most of the mountains are deserted, on their rocky slopes there are rare bushes of wormwood, teresken, and some cereals. There are forests only on the southern slopes of the Karakorum up to a height of 3500 m (sparse growth of oaks, pines, Himalayan cedars), higher - shrub thickets and rich subalpine meadows, as well as in the north-west of the Hindu Kush (areas of pistachio and juniper sparse forests among dry steppes and woody thickets along the rivers). There are tree and shrub formations along the river valleys of the Pamirs. Formations of upland xerophytes and mountain steppes are also common.

The fauna is well preserved in the mountains. Both in flora and in fauna there are many species characteristic of all mountainous Asia, including the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. Mountain goats, argali, snow leopards, Himalayan bears live in the Hindu Kush and the Pamirs, orongo and adda antelopes, wild yaks, etc. live in the Karakorum.

The bowels of the region are rich in minerals. Deposits are known here hard coal, various ores, including iron, molybdenum, beryllium, polymetallic ores, gold, graphite, sulfur, precious stones, etc. So far, these riches are used relatively little.

The population is concentrated in river valleys, along the shores of lakes, in oases at the foot of the mountains. Cattle breeding and irrigated agriculture predominate. The Pamirs are known as a region of mountain agriculture: here, at an altitude of 3-3.5 thousand meters, they grow cereals, high-yielding potatoes, some garden crops and winter-hardy fruits.

The main part of the Hindu Kush is located in Afghanistan. There were fighting which negatively affected the state of nature and the economy of the region. Karakorum lies on the border of India and China. The mountains of the southeastern part of the system are most populated. Most of the Pamirs belong to Tajikistan, only in the north and northwest the territories of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan enter the mountain system. Unfortunately, the southern border of Tajikistan has been a “hot spot” for a long time. The damage from military conflicts is added to the natural disasters from which the population of the region suffers (earthquakes, mudflows, landslides and scree in the mountains).

Kunlun - Altyntag - Nanshan

The mountains of these systems close the Tibetan Plateau from the north and have much in common with it. However, there are also significant differences. Most of all, they relate to the geological structure and topography of this territory. Kunlun in the west adjoins the Pamir mountain junction and stretches 2700 km to the east, first along the Karakorum, then along the northern outskirts of the Tibetan highlands, bordering the Tarim and Tsaidam basins from the south. The northern outskirts of the Tsaidam basin are the Altyntag and Nanshan ranges. At 85° E. e. they connect with Kunlun. The region is entirely within the territory of the People's Republic of China.

Kunlun is one of the greatest mountain systems of the Earth. Active tectonic movements raised the Paleozoic folded structures to a height of 6000-6500 m, and some peaks exceed 7500 m.

The ridges are highest in the west, where the crystalline axial zone is traced, and in the central segment - in the Przhevalsky (Arkatage) ridge. The highest peaks of the system are located within the Western Kunlun, which consists of three parallel chains, and the Przhevalsky Range in the Eastern Kunlun. The highest points are Ulugmuztag (7723 m) and Kongur (7719 m). The Eastern Kunlun goes around the Qaidam Basin from the south, and Altyntag and Nanshan, which are a branch of the Eastern Kunlun, from the north. These ridges are somewhat lower - 5000-6000 m. The mountain system has poorly dissected watersheds with extensive areas of peneplain, separated by high graben-like intermountain valleys. There are many screes in the mountains, often mobile. To the Tarim Basin, the ridges break off with a giant ledge (up to 4500 m), and rise above the Tibetan Plateau by only 1000-1500 m. The Tsaidam Basin (tectonic depression filled with Meso-Cenozoic sediments) lies at an altitude of 2700-3000 meters. Sandy and clayey surface deposits are processed by eolian processes. Large areas are occupied by solonchaks in place of dried lakes. Tsaidam is called "a stepping stone to Tibet", the landscapes of the basin are very similar to those of Tibet. Altyntag and Nanshan are high mountain systems (some peaks are higher than 6 km).

The climate of the entire region is arid sharply continental, typical for the whole of Central Asia. Especially little precipitation (no more than 150 mm, and in some places less than 50 mm per year) is received by the Middle Kunlun and the Tsaidam Basin. Summer precipitation. Winters are snowless.

The amount of precipitation increases slightly to the west, as the influence of the western transfer of air masses affects, and to the east, where it falls up to 500 mm per year (80% in summer due to the action of the summer monsoon). Annual temperature amplitudes reach 30-40°C. January averages are everywhere negative, and although the region lies between 35° and 40° N. sh., its climate cannot be called subtropical. There are special high-mountain climatic conditions.

Due to the aridity, the glaciation of these highest mountains is relatively small. However, there are several glaciation sites with large glaciers, mostly of the Turkestan type.

The crest of the Przhevalsky Ridge is almost 1000 meters vertically covered with eternal snow. There are large glacial formations on all the highest mountain ranges. The snow line lies in the east and west at altitudes of 5000-5200 meters, in some places (for example, in the east of Nanshan) and lower, and in the center it rises to 5400-5900 m. Glaciers and snows give rise to rivers flowing mainly into the Tarim Basin and (in the east) into the river system. Huanghe. A few short streams flow towards the Tibetan Plateau. There are a number of rivers that originate on the slopes of the Karakorum and cut through the Western Kunlun in several places. 60-80% of the runoff occurs in the summer, when snow and ice melt in the mountains; in winter, many rivers dry up or freeze.

The lack of heat and moisture leads to the fact that formations of deserts and dry steppes dominate in the region. In the central regions, they occupy all the slopes and hollows. Only along watercourses and in places with a close occurrence of groundwater there are meadows and wetlands. In the west and east, at altitudes of 3500-4000 m, forest vegetation (Tian Shan spruce, tree-like juniper) and meadows appear.

The population is only along the banks of large rivers. The main occupations are nomadic cattle breeding (sheep, goats, yaks are bred) and agriculture (wheat is grown and barley is grown higher in the mountains).

After the collapse of the USSR, the former republics entered into a voluntary agreement on the Commonwealth Independent States, abbreviated as the CIS, which regulated and simplified some of the relationships between the newly formed, independent countries.

It is customary to call Central Asia a number of countries in the south of the CIS, which includes such states as:

Among the countries of Central Asia, only Turkmenistan has access to the sea, this state washes the Caspian Sea from the western part. All other powers are considered inland.

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five states - Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran

The Central Asian countries are rich in natural resources: oil and gas are produced in Turkmenistan, large deposits of brown coal are in Uzbekistan, there is natural gas, and there are also gold deposits, Kyrgyzstan is rich in ore and coal, and sulfur is mined in Turkmenistan. Since Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are located in a mountainous area, as a result, they have a large energy potential due to the presence of mountain rivers.

Central square in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek is a clean and beautiful city with pleasant architecture and, unlike many other capitals, with clean mountain air. All attractions and entertainment centers are located in the city center.

Kyrgyzstan is located between mountain ranges, ski resorts are located here, and there are also thermal springs in the Chui Valley. But Issyk-Kul Lake has become a favorite resort place, since Soviet times, residents from all regions of the country came here to relax and receive medical treatment in health resorts. The lake is very beautiful and clean, while it is so large that the opposite shore is not visible.

As for the economy of the state, it is based on industry and mining. And also developing tourism annually brings about half a billion dollars to the country. But the situation with the economy is complicated by external debt, which the power cannot pay in any way. The main economic partners for Kyrgyzstan are Russia, Kazakhstan and.

Kazakhstan

The territory of Kazakhstan is covered with deserts or semi-deserts, there are few forests here, therefore they are treated with care and the remaining forest belts are practically not cut down. This is the largest state among those without access to the World Ocean, the state occupies the 7th place in the world in terms of area and 2 among the CIS countries, second only to Russia.

Kazakhstan has common borders:

• Russia (northern and western borders).
• China (eastern border).
• Kyrgyzstan (southern border).
• Uzbekistan (southern border).
• Turkmenistan (southern border).

In Kazakhstan, the official capital is Astana, which has a population of 700,000 inhabitants. This is the largest city in terms of area and its accomplishment amazes visitors and attracts more and more tourists every year. Enormous funds were invested in Astana, buildings and architectural monuments were rebuilt, striking in their beauty and scale. The city attracts not only tourists, but also investors. This country has the most stable and impressive economy in the post-Soviet space, second only to Russia.

But Astana is not the only major city in Kazakhstan. Alma-Ata is recognized as the unofficial capital of the country, but, despite the smaller area, the population is 1.7 million people, which is almost 2.5 times the population of the capital. There is a metro and developed infrastructure no worse than in the main city.

Kazakhstan cooperates with the states, the Arab states, as well as with China and Eurasia.

The population of the Republic is 30 million people, with the same ratio of city dwellers and village dwellers. The area of ​​Uzbekistan is 447.4 square meters. kilometers, which is much less than that of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, but the population is higher here. The state borders with the following neighbors:

• Kyrgyzstan (eastern border).
• Kazakhstan (northeastern, northern and northwestern borders).
• Turkmenistan (southwestern and southern borders).
• Afghanistan (southern border).
• Tajikistan (southeastern border).

Tashkent is the capital and heart of the country, despite the fact that the city was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1966, it was restored. It is beautiful and attractive for tourists with its architectural delights, monuments and landscaping. The capital is recognized as the most beautiful city in Central Asia. Its population is more than 2 million people, there is a metro and developed infrastructure. The Charvak reservoir, which is surrounded by snow-covered mountains, has become a favorite vacation spot for the townspeople.

Complex Khast-Imam – Tashkent

In 2005, a resolution was adopted against the UN country, the reason was the unnecessarily brutal suppression of unrest in the city of Andijan by the local government, during which hundreds of people died.

Tajikistan

- a developing country whose economy is built on an agro-industrial basis. The state shows stable positive indicators of GDP growth, the main points of the development strategy are achieving energy independence, providing food for the country's population, as well as overcoming transport isolation, the state has no access to the oceans.

The area of ​​the country is small, it is 143 thousand square kilometers with a population of 8.5 million people. The Republic has common borders with the following states.

central Asia, a natural country in Asia, including desert and semi-desert plains, plateaus and highlands. Limited in the east southern part Great Khingan and the Taihanshan ridge, in the south - a longitudinal tectonic depression of the upper Indus and Brahmaputra (Tsangpo). In the west and north, the border of Central Asia corresponds to the mountain ranges of East Kazakhstan, Altai, Western and Eastern Sayan, approximately coinciding with the state border between Russia, on the one hand, China and the MPR, on the other. The area of ​​Central Asia, according to various estimates, is from 5 to 6 million km². Most of China and the Mongolian People's Republic are located on the territory of Central Asia. The population of Central Asia is made up of Mongolian peoples (Khalkha, etc.), Chinese, Uighurs, Tibetans, etc.

Relief of Central Asia

Central Asia is characterized by high altitudes, and 2 main tiers of relief are clearly distinguished. The lower tier is formed by the Gobi, Alashan, Ordos, Dzhungar and Tarim plains, the prevailing heights of which are 500-1500 m. The upper tier is the Tibetan Plateau, within which the average heights increase to 4-4.5 thousand m. other linearly elongated mountain systems of the Eastern Tien Shan, Kunlun, Nanshan, Mongolian Altai, Karakorum, Gandishishan, etc., which have a predominantly latitudinal and sublatitudinal strike. The highest peaks of the Tien Shan, Karakorum, Kunlun reach 6-7 thousand meters; the highest point of Central Asia - t. Chogori, in Karakorum (8611 m).

Geological structure and minerals

The axial geological structure of Central Asia is the western extension of the Chinese-Korean platform, which is divided by zones of tectonic activation into relatively stable massifs: Tarim, Dzhungar, Alashan, Ordos; from the north, this group of massifs is framed by the Mongolian-Kazakhstan, and from the south - by the Kunlun belts of Paleozoic folded structures. In the north of the Tibetan Plateau, within the Changtang, Mesozoic folding appeared. At the end of the Mesozoic, denudation plains dominated on the site of Central Asia, sharply uplifted and dissected as a result of subsequent Cenozoic movements. In the modern relief, there is a complex combination of gravel and sandy plains (with areas of low hills), mountain ranges and massifs, the highest of which bear alpine landforms. Mineral resources of Central Asia are still poorly studied. There are large deposits of oil (Karamai, Urgo, Tushandzy, Yuimyn) and coal (Turfan, Khami) in Northwestern China; -Gol, Tamryn-Gol, etc.). Central Asia is rich in rare and non-ferrous metals, table salt and other minerals.

Climate of Central Asia

In winter, the Asian anticyclone is located over Central Asia, and in summer it is an area of ​​low atmospheric pressure with a predominance of air masses of oceanic origin depleted in moisture. The climate is sharply continental, dry, with significant seasonal and daily temperature fluctuations. Average temperatures in January on the plains are from -10 to -25 °С, in July from 20 to 25 °С (on the Tibetan Plateau about 10 °С). The annual amount of precipitation on the plains usually does not exceed 200 mm, and such areas as the Takla Makan, Gashun Gobi, Tsaidam, and Changtang plateaus receive less than 50 mm, which is ten times less evaporation. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in summer. In the mountain ranges, precipitation is 300-500 mm, and in the southeast, where the influence of the summer monsoon is felt, up to 1000 mm per year. Central Asia is characterized by strong winds and abundance sunny days(240-270 per year). The dry climate of Central Asia is reflected in the significant height of the snow line, reaching 5-5.5 thousand meters in Kunlun and Nanshan, and 6-7 thousand meters in the Tibetan Plateau, in Changtang (its highest position on the globe). Therefore, despite the enormous height of the mountains, there is little snow in them, and intermountain valleys and plains are usually snowless in winter. The scale of modern glaciation is insignificant (the area of ​​glaciation in Central Asia is estimated at 50-60 thousand km²). The main centers of glaciation are located in the highest mountain junctions of the Karakoram, Kunlun, as well as the Eastern Tien Shan and the Mongolian Altai. Cirque, hanging and small valley glaciers predominate.

Surface waters of Central Asia

Due to the dry climate of Central Asia, it is characterized by low watering. Most of the territory belongs to the area of ​​internal flow, forming a number of closed basins (Tarim, Dzhungar, Tsaidam, the Great Lakes Basin, etc.). The main rivers of Central Asia - Tarim, Khotan, Aksu, Konchedarya, Urungu, Manas, Kobdo, Dzabkhan - originate in high peripheral mountain ranges, and upon reaching the plains, a significant part of their flow seeps into loose deposits of foothill plumes, evaporates and is spent on irrigation fields; therefore, downstream, the water content of rivers usually decreases, many of them dry up or carry water only during the summer flood, mainly due to the melting of snow and ice in the mountains of Central Asia. The most arid regions of Central Asia (Alashan, Beishan, Gashun and Trans-Altai Gobi, the central part of the Takla-Makan Desert) are practically devoid of surface watercourses. Their surface is covered with dry channels, in which water appears only after episodic downpours. Only the outskirts of Central Asia have a runoff into the oceans, in the mountains of which the large rivers of Asia originate: the Huang He, the Yangtze, the Mekong, the Salween, the Brahmaputra, the Indus, the Irtysh, the Selenga, and the Amur. There are many lakes in Central Asia, the largest of them is Lake Kukunor, and the deepest is Khubsugul. The largest number of lakes is in the Tibetan Plateau and in the north of the Mongolian People's Republic. Many of them are the final floods of rivers (for example, Lop Nor), due to which their outlines and sizes often change depending on fluctuations in the flow of rivers. Salt lakes predominate; of the fresh waters, the largest are Khara-Us-Nur, Bagrashköl, Khubsugul. Many lakes on the plains are in the process of shrinking.

Soils of Central Asia

The predominant types of soils in the north are chestnut, in the deserts of Northwestern China - gray-brown, desert, in the Tibetan Plateau - frozen soils of cold high-mountainous deserts. In depressions of the relief there are solonchaks and takyrs. In the upper belt of mountains there are mountain-meadow and (in the north) mountain-forest soils. The soils of the plains of Central Asia are usually thin, almost devoid of humus, often contain a large number of carbonates and gypsum; significant areas of sandy and rocky deserts are generally devoid of soil cover. In the mountains - gravel and coarse skeletal soils.

Vegetation of Central Asia

On most of the plains of Central Asia, the vegetation cover is sparse, the vegetation is desert and semi-desert, its species composition is poor. Shrub vegetation predominates (nitrate, reamuria, teresken, karagana, boyalych, potashnik, dzhuzgun, ephedra). Significant areas of takyrs, solonchaks. loose sands are devoid of vegetation cover. In the Tibetan Highlands, vegetation is often represented by creeping teresken shrubs, and in hollows sheltered from cold winds, by sedges, cobresia, reamuria, bluegrass, and fescue. In the north, semi-deserts and deserts are replaced by steppes, the vegetation of which is dominated by feather grass, chi, vostrets, wheatgrass. On the sowing mountain slopes - areas of coniferous forests of spruce, fir, larch. Along the valleys of many transit rivers (Tarim, Khotan, Aksu, Konchedarya), in deserts and in foothill oases, there are strips of tugai forests with a predominance of various-leaved poplar, oleaster and sea buckthorn. Along the banks of the reservoirs there are reed and reed thickets.

Fauna of Central Asia

Of the large animals in Central Asia, ungulates and rodents are the most common. Wild camel, wild ass, Przewalski's horse, gazelles - gazelle and gazelle, hare, marmots, jerboas, pikas, gerbils, mole voles, etc. are found in the deserts of Northwestern China and the Mongolian People's Republic. In the Tibetan Highlands there are wild yak, kulan, orongo and hell antelopes , mountain goats and sheep, pikas, marmots, voles, etc. Of the predators, the wolf, fox, corsac, etc. are ubiquitous.

Murzaev E. M., Mongolian People's Republic, 2nd ed., M., 1952; his, Nature of Xinjiang and the formation of the deserts of Central Asia, M., 1966; Foreign Asia. Physiography, M., 1956; Sinitsyn V. M., Central Asia, M., 1959; Physical geography of China, M., 1964; Petrov M.P., Deserts of Central Asia, vol. 1-2, M. - L., 1966-1967.

Introduction

Central Asia, despite its relatively small area, is a significant part of modern world. At present, the states of Central Asia, with greater or lesser success, participate in several multi-vector integration formations. It is also worth noting the cultural and natural features that the region is rich in. Objective:
- get acquainted with the political, economic, natural and social features of Central Asia;

Identify a number of problems in the region (demographic, economic) and identify ways to solve them.

Basic information about the Central Asia region

Central Asia today includes five republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the countries of the Central Asian region naturally reassessed their own role as subjects of geopolitical and international relations which, among other things, affected their regional self-identification. There was a rejection of the self-name of the region “Central Asia and Kazakhstan” fixed in the Soviet period in favor of the definition “Central Asia”. After 20 years, the definition of "Central Asia" has become commonplace, denoting the geopolitical space, which includes the five states of the former USSR - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. (For the first time, the proposal to rename the region was voiced by Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was supported by the leaders of other Central Asian countries). The total population of the region is 65 million people. The region of Central Asia belongs geopolitically to the Eurasian civilization, in confessional terms the Islamic component prevails, in ethnic terms the Turkic component prevails, in historical terms - Soviet identity, and in education Western roots still prevail.

Region Composition

The boundaries of Central Asia are defined in different ways (as defined by UNESCO, for example, the region includes Mongolia, Western China, Punjab, northern India and northern Pakistan, northeastern Iran, Afghanistan, areas of Asian Russia south of the taiga zone and five former Soviet republics Central Asia), but now it is considered that the region consists of the following countries: Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The area of ​​the region is 3,994,300 sq. km. Countries have many features of cultural and historical community. However, each country has its own specifics.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a state located in the center of Eurasia. The border of Kazakhstan passes through the waters of the Caspian Sea, then along the Volga steppes, rises north to the southern spurs of the Ural Mountains, then east along West Siberian Plain to Altai. In the east, the border runs along the Tarbagatay and Dzungaria ridges, in the south - along the Tan Shan mountains and the Turan lowland to the Caspian Sea. The territory of Kazakhstan is 2 million 724.9 thousand km² (ninth largest in the world). The capital of Kazakhstan is Astana.

The relief of Kazakhstan is represented by all high-altitude steps - from low plains to high mountains. The lowlands are located in the north, where they form the southern part of the West Siberian Plain, in the northwest (Caspian) and in the south (Turan Plain). They account for about ⅓ of the territory of the republic. More than half of its area is occupied by plateaus - Poduralskoe, Turgai, Ustyurt, Betpak-Dala - and uplands - General Syrt, Kokchetavskaya with heights of 300-400 m, as well as the vast Kazakh hills with heights up to 400-600 m. The surface rises from the north and west to the east and southeast, where the plains give way to mountains. The mountain ranges of Altai, Dzhungarskiy Alatau, Tan-Shan rise up to 4000-5000 m and more. The highest point of Kazakhstan is located on the border with Kyrgyzstan - this is the Khan-Tengri peak (6995 m) in the mountains of the Central Tien Shan. Mountain systems are separated by intermontane depressions; the largest of them are Ili, Alakol, Zaisan. [??]
The bowels of Kazakhstan are rich in minerals. They are associated not only with the folded basement complex, but also with the loose sedimentary cover. Several structural-geological provinces are isolated with a specific set of minerals.

Large deposits of copper (Dzhezkazgan, Kounrad and other deposits), lead, zinc, rare metals, coal (Karaganda coal basin), iron and manganese ore are concentrated in Central Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan Altai is known for copper-lead-zinc ores, deposits of gold, tin, and rare metals. The main polymetallic deposits are Leninogorskoye, Zyryanovskoye, Belousovskoye. The Turgai trough is an area of ​​large reserves of iron ore. The Kacharskoye, Sokolovskoye, Sarbayskoye, Korzhunkulskoye deposits of magnetite ores are especially rich. The Ural regions of Kazakhstan are characterized by chromite, copper and asbestos mineralization. Cis-Urals near Aktobe is famous for its phosphorites and high-quality nickel ores. Lead-zinc ores are mined in the Mirgalimsai, Baizhansai and Achisai deposits. The Caspian depression and the Mangyshlak Peninsula are an oil and gas province. Emba oil has long been famous for its high quality. Huge reserves of table and potash salts are also associated with the Caspian depression. They are confined to salt dome structures that cut through the loose sedimentary cover.

The climate of Kazakhstan is continental, arid. The inland position causes the predominance of the anticyclonic type of atmospheric circulation and a very weak cyclonic activity. The predominance of clear weather increases the duration of sunshine (from 2000 to 3000 hours per year). Winter, except for the southernmost regions, is severe, usually with little snow, with strong snowstorms and snowstorms. The average January temperature is -19º, in the extreme south up to -3 - 5º. In summer, the weather is also not very mild. Average temperatures in July in the north are 19-20º, in the south 28-30º.

About six thousand species of plants grow in Kazakhstan, about 500 species of birds, 178 species of animals, 49 species of reptiles, 12 species of amphibians, and about 100 species of fish in rivers and lakes can be found in its open spaces.

Forests occupy about 5.5% of the area of ​​Kazakhstan and are located in the northern forest-steppe, eastern and southern mountainous parts of the country. Most of the forests in the country are located in the northern Tien Shan and Altai mountains. There are juniper forests and alpine meadows, apple trees and walnut trees grow in the gorges. Among the mammals living in the northern Tien Shan, the snow leopard, brown bear, and Siberian mountain goat stand out. Taiga forests are found on the territory of Altai, where a natural reserve was created on the Kazakh territory on Lake Markakol. Here, in the taiga forests, such rare species of birds as capercaillie, hazel grouse, ptarmigan live.

The steppes of Kazakhstan are an exciting and exciting sight. Here you can meet several hundred species of birds that live in the area of ​​numerous fresh and salt lakes. One of the rarest and most beautiful bird species in the world, pink flamingos, lives on Lake Tengiz in Central Kazakhstan. For their protection, the government of Kazakhstan created the Kurgaldzhinsky Reserve.

Among the deserts of Kazakhstan, one can single out the Betpak-Dala desert, the desert of the Ustyurt plateau, the sandy Kyzylkum desert, the Moyunkum desert, as well as the Aral Karakum desert. Goitered gazelles and jerboas live here, as well as the storm of all deserts - the viper. In addition to it, 16 more species of snakes were identified on the territory of Kazakhstan. Of course, we should not forget about the largest lizard that lives only in the sands of Kyzylkum - the gray monitor lizard.

Aquatic vegetation in terms of species is the poorest (63 species) in the flora of the republic, but the most ancient. Rare and endangered plants of Kazakhstan are subject to special protection, there are about 600 species of them, a significant part of them is included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan.

The population of Kazakhstan has been multinational since ancient times, its number is 17,670,957 people as of January 1, 2016 [Wikipedia].

Uzbekistan

The Republic of Uzbekistan is a state located in the central part of Central Asia, which borders on Kyrgyzstan in the east, Kazakhstan in the north, Turkmenistan in the southwest, Afghanistan in the south and Tajikistan in the southeast. Uzbekistan covers an area of ​​447,400 sq. km. The capital of Uzbekistan is Tashkent.

The territory of present-day Uzbekistan arose as a result of the Paleozoic (about 300 million years ago) orogeny. It was then that the Turan plate and land were formed, which later became the mountains of the Tien Shan and Pamir-Alay. The territory of Uzbekistan has mostly flat terrain. Only where the Paleozoic basement protrudes above late deposits (for example, in Kyzylkum), island mountains (Sultanuizdag, Tamdytau, Kuldzhuktau, Bukantau, etc.) rose to a height of almost 900 m. Only the folded regions of the Tien Shan turned out to be truly high. and Pamir-Alai.
Each large natural region of the republic is distinguished by its combination of relief forms. The Ustyurt Plateau (height up to 300 m) has a slightly undulating relief and steep (height 150 m) cliffs (chinks) to the coast of the Amu Darya and the Aral Sea. The alluvial-deltaic plain in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya is characterized by a flat relief, which is diversified only by low (from 60 to 80 m) laggards. In Kyzylkum, along with the mentioned remnant mountains, there are various forms accumulations - ridges, mounds, dunes, oriented in accordance with the direction of the prevailing winds. In the east, mid-mountain and high-mountain relief forms predominate: the slopes or ends of the Western Tien Shan ranges (Ugasky, Pskemsky, Chatkalsky, Kuraminsky ranges) and Pamir-Alay (Zerafshansky, Gissarsky, Kugitang, Baysuntau ranges) are within the republic. The mid-mountain (up to 2169 m) Nuratinsky ridge is somewhat isolated. The mountains are characterized by great contrasts in heights and a strip of hilly foothills - adyrs, steep ridges with narrow, picturesque gorges and often sharp watersheds. But there are also low mountains (Aktau, Karakchitau, Gobduntau, the western end of the Zeravshan Range) with smooth outlines of ridges.
Minerals are also associated with the geological structure and relief. On the plains with their sedimentary rocks, there are deposits of oil and gas (Gazlinskoye, Shakhpatinskoye, etc.), self-planted salt (Barsakelmes), and building materials. Deposits of coal (Angrenskoye, Shargunskoye, Baysunskoye, etc.), noble, nonferrous and rare metals, fluorite, building materials are associated with more ancient rocks of the mountains.

Uzbekistan has a hot, continental, arid climate. Winter temperatures change from north to south: the average for January is from -10º to +2-3º, the absolute minimum is from -25º to -38º. But in summer, on the territory of the plains of Uzbekistan, the average temperature remains at the level of 30º, with absolute maximums above 42º. In the mountains (above 3000 m), the average summer temperatures drop to 22-30º.

The territory of Uzbekistan is diverse, but large areas of this country are partly unsuitable for life: these are deserts, steppes and mountains. The cities of Uzbekistan, around which the life of the people of this country is concentrated, are located in the river valleys.

Flora of Uzbekistan includes over 3700 species of plants. 20% of species are endemic, most of which grows in the mountains. The flora of the steppes and deserts consists of peculiar shrubs. Woody, shrubby, herbaceous vegetation is developed on the low plains. The tugai are characterized by thickets of reeds and kendyrs. In the landscape of the piedmont plains - grass, no trees, shrubs are found along watercourses. Various types of onions, tulips, rhubarb, irises grow here. The high foothills are a dry, herbaceous steppe on dark gray soils. Shrubs grow on rocky areas - almonds, curly, visharnik. In the low mountains, the most valuable tree species, the Zarafshan juniper, mainly grows. Also common hardwoods- maple, hawthorn, different forms wild apple, pistachios, Walnut, birch, willow, poplar, Magalebka cherry. The lowlands are very rich in shrubs: honeysuckle, barberry, wild rose, meadowsweet, thickets of wild vineyards. The set of herbs is very diverse: clary sage, ziziphora, rhubarb, sorrel, tulip, Pskem onion (the most valuable medicinal plant). Rose hips and other shrubs grow in the middle mountains. In the highlands, only 30% of the soil is covered with vegetation. Mostly fescue grows here.

As well as flora and fauna of Uzbekistan is diverse. Many representatives of the Asian fauna are found here. Among them: mammals (wolf, eared hedgehog, fox, corsac, toloi hare, turtle, goitered gazelle, saiga antelope, wild boar, markhor goat, mountain sheep, badger, stone marten, bear, leopard, ermine, Siberian mountain goat, plate-toothed rat, jackal, Bukhara deer, Bukhara horseshoe bat, pointed-eared night bat gopher, jerboa), reptiles (geckos, agama, sand boa, arrow-snake, Central Asian cobra, muzzle, four-stripe snake, Alai bald eye), birds (beautiful bustard, Avdotka, sand grouse, saja, dunce nightjar, steppe buzzard, jay, shrike, warbler, finches, bunting, lentil, large turtledove, black vulture, griffon vulture, lamb vulture, Himalayan snowcock, bearded vulture, hawker, jackdaw, pheasant, cuckoo, yellow wagtail, magpie, black crow, southern nightingale, whiskered tit, reed bunting, thrush warbler), insects, etc.

There are about 70 species of fish in the reservoirs: Aral salmon, Amu Darya trout, pike, Aral roach, Aral barbel, carp, silver carp, catfish, pike perch, snakehead, silver carp, grass carp.

The population of Uzbekistan was 31,025,500 people (at the time of 2015).

Tajikistan

Tajikistan is located in the southeastern part of Central Asia. The territory of the republic stretches for 700 km from west to east and for 350 km from north to south. The area of ​​Tajikistan is 142,000 km². The Republic has complex outlines of borders, reflecting the historical and geographical features of the settlement of the Tajik people. In the west and north, Tajikistan borders on Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and in the south and east - on China and Afghanistan. The capital of Tajikistan is Dushanbe.

Tajikistan is located within the borders of the Pamir-Alay mountain system and adjacent areas of the Ferghana Basin. In the north-east of the republic, the peak of Ismoil Somoni and the peak of Communism rise. One of the most powerful continental glaciers in the world, the Fedchenko mountain-valley glacier, is also located here. Mountains occupy 90% of the territory of Tajikistan; the nature of the high-mountainous republic is peculiar, full of contrasts. The complexity of the relief, the variety of heights, and the pronounced vertical zonality determine the great differences in landscapes in individual regions. On the plains, which occupy only 7% of the territory of the republic, most of its population, almost all cities and the main branches of the national economy are concentrated.

Natural resources Tajikistan are very diverse. Many deposits of polychemical, rare and noble metals have been discovered on the territory of the republic: zinc, lead, molybdenum, tungsten, copper, gold, silver, antimony, mercury, fluorspar, tin, uranium, bismuth, iron, manganese, table salt, magnesium and others having an export value. There are deposits of coal, gas, oil, marble, building materials. 80% of coal is coking.

The climate in Tajikistan is subtropical with significant daily and seasonal fluctuations in air temperature, low rainfall, dry air and low cloud cover. The contrast of climatic conditions is associated with the three-dimensional placement of indicators: according to thermal conditions, climates change from bottom to top - from subtropical (hot summers, warm, humid vegetative winters in the valleys) to moderate (hot summers and cold winters in the mountains) and cold ( warm summer, very cold winter in the highlands). Solar heating also changes from north to south.

The flora and fauna of Tajikistan is diverse. There are more than 4.5 thousand plant species in Tajikistan. Such floristic richness in a relatively small area is the result of intensive speciation with the preservation of many relics (species preserved from ancient eras). At least a quarter of the species are endemic. The flora of Tajikistan is genetically related to the flora of the Mediterranean, the Himalayas, Tibet, and the northern regions of Eurasia. On the territory of Tajikistan there are some of the ancient centers of the formation of cultivated plants: non-ligul wheat and various forms of barley, different varieties peas, ranks, chickpeas, beans. There are also many original varieties of fruit - apricots, almonds, grapes. In all high-altitude zones there are medicinal, food, fodder, oil-containing, fibrous, tanning, dyeing and other plants. Animal world Tajikistan is also diverse: 84 species of mammals, 346 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles, several species of fish, and over 10,000 species of insects and other arthropods. In deserts and ephemeral herbage there are goitered gazelle, wolf, hyena, fox, ground squirrel, porcupine, hare, bustard, lizards - monitor lizard and yellow-bellied tortoise, snakes - efa, cobra, muzzle.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is located in the northeastern part of Central Asia. In the south-west it is adjacent to Tajikistan, in the west - with Uzbekistan, in the north - with Kazakhstan. In the east and in the south there is a border with China. The area of ​​Kyrgyzstan is 199,951 km², the capital is Bishkek.

The main mountain ranges of Kyrgyzstan belong to the Tien Shan and Pamir-Alai systems. They stretch in huge arcs, mainly in the latitudinal direction, gathering in the east into the mighty Khan-Tengri mountain junction. The combination of destruction and demolition processes leads to a wide variety of landforms, characterized by a tiered structure and, at the same time, massive manifestations of asymmetry.

In the Northern Tien Shan, metamorphic and igneous sedimentary strata are widely developed, which are accompanied by deposits of non-ferrous metals. Deposits of gold, molybdenum, vanadium, iron ore are associated with gneisses, crystalline schists, amphibolites and marbles of the Inner Tien Shan, deposits of mercury, antimony, tin and others are associated with carbonate rocks of the Pamir-Alay. Hot minerals (coal, oil, gas) occur in intermountain depressions. The richest are the Jurassic coal deposits of the Northern and Inner Tien Shan and Pamir-Alay. Oil and gas fields are located in the Ferghana Basin in the Jurassic, Cretaceous and Paleogene deposits. Kyrgyzstan is rich in mineral non-metallic resources, underground waters and therapeutic mud. All this is widely used in the national economy of the republic.

The climate in Kyrgyzstan is mostly dry, sharply continental, formed under the influence of such factors as the comparative southern position, remoteness from the oceans, great contrasts in altitude, the proximity of the Pamir mountains, the plains of Siberia, Kazakhstan and Dzungaria. This is the reason for hot summers and rather cold winters, large contrasts of seasonal and daily temperature norms. The duration of sunshine is great in Kyrgyzstan.

The diversity of the flora of Kyrgyzstan is determined by the location of the country in the altitudinal zone. On the slopes with different humidity, various types of vegetation grow. Steppes, meadow steppes, meadows, thickets of shrubs are common on the northern slopes. While due to the dry climate, the southern slopes are covered mainly with semi-deserts and deserts. The flora of Kyrgyzstan is represented by 3676 lower plants and 3786 higher plants. On the territory of the republic, there are about 600 species of useful wild-growing species of herbs, of which 200 are officially recognized as medicinal: cornflower, Karakol aconite, drevyasil, Turkestan motherwort, St. John's wort, coltsfoot, oregano, sea buckthorn, etc. Among wild plants of economic importance, one can note: salt marsh, barberry, rhubarb, Ferghana euphorbia, different types thyme, etc. In the south of Kyrgyzstan there are unique natural formations - walnut forests. The valuable genetic material of these forests is represented by walnut trees, Siver apple trees, Sogdian cherry plums, pear trees, Korzhinskaya pear, Tien-

Shan cherry, barberry bushes, almond and pistachio trees, Dzungarian and Turkestan hawthorn and many other species.

101 species of protozoan unicellular animal organisms, 10242 species of insects and arthropods represent the fauna of Kyrgyzstan. In addition, the country is home to more than 1.5 thousand invertebrates, 75 fish species, 4 amphibian species, 33 reptile species, 368 bird species and 83 mammal species. At an altitude of 3400-3800 meters, gray marmots, silver and narrow-skulled voles are common inhabitants. In the summer, a brown bear is found in alpine meadows. In addition to him, the inhabitants of the alpine meadows are sheep, marmots, hares, mountain goats and wolves. Mammals do not live at altitudes of 3800-4000 meters, however, gray marmots and narrow-skulled voles are frequent guests. Above the snow line, on the ledges of rocks (height 4.4 kilometers), the red-breasted redstart and the alpine mountain chaffinch nest. At this altitude, you can also meet mountain goose, rock dove, partridge, alpine jackdaw and large bullfinch. And at an altitude of 4500 meters, snow goats and predatory leopards live. Many endangered species of animals living on the territory of Kyrgyzstan were listed in the Red Book: wild sheep, snow goat, roe deer, red deer, bear, deer, fallow deer, lynx and snow leopard.

The population of Kyrgyzstan is about 6 million people.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a Central Asian country that borders Afghanistan and Iran in the south, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the north. In the west, the republic is washed by the Caspian Sea. The territory of the republic is 491,200 sq. km. The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat.

Turkmenistan is often called the country of deserts and oases. This definition reflects the main landscape of the republic: deserts occupy more than 80% of its territory. This is the Karakum desert (“black sands”, which is equivalent to the concept of “overgrown sands”), as well as part of the deserts of the Ustyurt plateau, the Krasnovodsk and Mangyshlak plateaus and the coastal strip along the Caspian coast. Plateaus drop steeply to the plains, and these steep ledges are called “chinks”. The population lives mainly on the periphery of the republic, in oases. By the nature of the relief, the territory of Turkmenistan is divided into two unequal parts - flat and mountainous. The plains account for more than 80% of the territory of the republic. In the mountainous part, the Kopetdag ridge (the highest point is 2942 m), belonging to the system of the Turkmen-Khoran mountains, as well as the western spurs of the Pamir-Alay, entering the territory of Turkmenistan by the Kugitang ridge (up to 3137 m), stand out.

Minerals of sedimentary origin predominate in Turkmenistan - oil, gas, sulfur, table salt, mirabilite, quartz sands, limestones, etc. All of them are being developed. Combustible gas is supplied through powerful gas pipelines to the Central Industrial Region of the country.

Turkmenistan is characterized by a sharply continental dry climate with its typical features - significant daily and annual fluctuations in temperature and precipitation, dry air, low cloudiness, and negligible amounts of precipitation. The continentality and aridity of the climate are associated with the considerable remoteness of the territory from the oceans, with its southern inland position and the nature of the atmospheric circulation.

As expected in a continental climate, air temperatures vary widely: on the plains - from 11º in the north to 17º in the south (on an annual average), and in the mountains at an altitude of 1500 m - from 6º to 10º.

The nature of Turkmenistan has thousands of plant species, ranging from desert grasses and saxaul to mountain forests. The fauna is represented by 91 species of mammals, 372 species of birds, 74 species of reptiles and 60 species of fish. A special distribution of flora and fauna is observed in mountain valleys. There are several reserves on the territory of Turkmenistan: Badkhyz, Krasnodar, Repetek, Kopetdag, Amudarya.

The population of Turkmenistan is 5,240,502 people.

Here one should try to write some problems of relations between the Central Asian states, based on the composition of the region. But these have not yet been identified.

Population

The history of Central Asia is extremely complex, the territory of which lay on the path of invasions by many conquerors and powerful migrations that influenced the composition of the population, the formation of languages, and culture. Large states were formed, which left a deep mark on history, and collapsed under the blows of the conquerors. The periods of flourishing cities, agricultural oases gave way to their death and desolation, high achievements of science and art alternated with times of cultural decline and stagnation. On the ruins of the collapsed states, new ones arose, there were endless feudal wars.

Under these conditions, the process of ethnic formation of the peoples of Central Asia was going on. The initial elements of the ethnic community of today's nations were formed back in the 9th-12th centuries. The peoples of Central Asia are linked by ethnic kinship. In addition, the ancestors of many of them for a long time were part of the same states, fought together against foreign invaders. They were also brought together by their joint participation in uprisings against feudal rulers, as well as constant economic and cultural communication.

Demographic Issues

Among the demographic problems specific to Central Asia, it is worth noting some very important and significant ones. First of all, these are inter-ethnic and inter-confessional contradictions. It is worth recalling the facts of nine years ago to understand that Central Asia is not a stable region in terms of conflicts. The main lines of interethnic tension were conflicts between the titular ethnic groups, as well as between them and the non-indigenous population, which was no longer Russian, but Asian peoples deported to the region during the Soviet period or appeared here relatively recently as a result of labor migrations. As an example, one can recall the events of November 2006, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Alma-Ata events, when mass protests of Kazakhs took place against the appointment of the first secretary of the Republican Communist Party of a Russian by nationality G. Kolbin, there were clashes between Kazakhs and Uighurs in the village of Shelek, Alma-Ata areas. The riots began on November 18 with a domestic brawl in the Old Castle cafe, in which three Uyghurs beat a Kazakh. The fight escalated into mass clashes between Kazakh and Uyghur youth, in which the Uyghurs were outnumbered. The next day, Kazakh youth decided to take revenge and started a fight in three cafes, which were visited by Uyghurs. The clashes, one of which involved up to 300 people on both sides, moved to the street and were only stopped thanks to the intervention of the elders. To prevent further clashes in the village, a kind of curfew was introduced, and the elders established control over entertainment establishments.

Another issue related to the demographics of Central Asia is migration. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, external migration processes in the states of Central Asia underwent fundamental changes twice. In the first half of the 1990s, powerful flows of forced migration from this region were observed. As the potential for forced migration (which was based on the migration of the Russian-speaking population) was exhausted, the scale of legal and illegal labor migration of the indigenous population of Central Asian countries began to grow. At present, labor migration of the indigenous population of the countries of Central Asia has assumed a large-scale character.

The main sources of labor migration flows from the region are three states: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. According to various estimates, at the end of 2005 there were from 1.8 to 3.5 million labor migrants from the countries of Central Asia in Russia, 9/10 of whom came from the above-mentioned countries. (from bibliography)

Due to the fact that labor migration is predominantly illegal, it is difficult to determine the real number of labor migrants. The statistical authorities of the countries of Central Asia and their migration partners are unable to give the exact scale of labor migration from the region. Information from authorities often requires certain adjustments to be made. Thus, according to the materials of the Department for External Migration of the Ministry of Labor and Employment of the Population of Tajikistan, there are more than 250 thousand labor migrants from this country in the CIS countries. According to the State Migration Service of the Republic of Tajikistan, the volume of labor migration exceeds 0.5 million people. According to experts of the Security Council under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the number of labor migrants from Tajikistan is about 800 thousand people. According to the Committee for the Protection of the State Border of the Republic of Tajikistan, in 2001 alone, more than 1.2 million people left the country to earn money. This variation in estimates can be partially explained by the fact that the total number of migrants, in addition to citizens of Tajikistan, may include transit migrants (for example, from Afghanistan), the fact that many migrants cross the border several times during the year, etc.

Ecological problems. The most serious problem is the rational use of labor resources. The rivers are transboundary, the ecosystems of the basins are under threat. The solution of this issue is important both today and in the future. If the states located in the lower reaches of the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan) are constantly experiencing water shortages, then the states of the upper reaches (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) are faced with the problem of providing fuel resources from neighboring countries to load power plants in the winter, which leads to the additional use of hydroelectric facilities. However, the operation of hydroelectric power plants in winter at full capacity is fraught with negative consequences: a decrease in the volume of reservoirs, an excess of water discharge into the border areas of neighboring states. Thus, the problem of rational use of water and energy resources in Central Asia has long reached the level of interstate relations.

Central Asia is a continental zone, as far as possible from ocean routes. Its land communications are closed to Russia, while its air communications are underdeveloped. The region occupies a peripheral position in relation to many large blocks of the world geopolitical space: Western Europe, the USA, South and Southeast Asia. It is directly adjacent only to Russia, China and the Middle East. This is partly the reason for the choice of Central Asia by Russia and China as subjects of regional policy.

It is also worth noting the managerial problems associated with political and economic processes:

Lack of a mechanism for the implementation of decisions. In Central Asia, there is a discrepancy between the positions of the participating states on many issues. The level of implementation of the adopted decisions remains low, and the documents themselves are of a general, recommendatory nature. In particular, the issue of rational use of water and energy resources of the countries of the Central Asian region remains problematic. The existence of many unresolved problems and the lack of coordinated actions of all parties to overcome them hinder the development of integration processes in the transport sector. In particular, the project to create an International Transport Consortium has not yet been implemented, the functioning of which would contribute to the formation of a common transport policy of the Central Asian states, the effective development of their transit potential.

Different levels of economic development in Central Asia. The states of the Central Asian region have a multi-level and multi-speed economy, which is a deterrent in deepening the integration interaction of the countries of Central Asia.

3. Inefficient development of mutual trade between the states of Central Asia. Differences in the pace and scale of economic liberalization, the low level of economic interaction between the states of Central Asia have become the main factors in the inefficient development of mutual trade between them. It should be noted that the economies of the Central Asian countries complement each other in many respects, which creates an opportunity to expand the range of goods in the mutual trade of the Central Asian states. The current situation indicates the presence of many unresolved problems in the regional cooperation of the countries of Central Asia, the level of implementation of the decisions being made remains low. Restraining factors in the development of regional cooperation are not only the different rates of economic transformation in the countries of Central Asia, but also the introduction of all kinds of restrictions in mutual trade, the presence of high political and economic risks of investment.

Ways to solve the environmental problems of the region:

1. Prevention of artificial reduction in the volume and regime of flows of transboundary rivers into the Aral Sea, which may lead to deterioration environmental situation in the zone of the Aral Sea region, the health of the population, the living conditions of millions of people living in this region;

2. Implementation of measures to curb the spread of desertification and soil salinization through forest planting and other agrotechnical and special measures in the ecological disaster zone;

Creation of conditions for the expansion of employment and growth of incomes of the population in the zone of ecological disaster through the development of small businesses, primarily low-water-intensive industrial and agricultural industries, and the service sector.

To achieve the goal of deepening integration processes in the region, it is necessary to focus on the most priority areas of economic cooperation. There are four such areas.

First, joint rational use water and energy resources. The priority of this area of ​​cooperation is explained by the fact that the Central Asian states are connected by common river basins of the Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers, a single ecological system, a common line of gas pipelines Gazli-Bukhara-Tashkent-Shymkent-Almaty.

The following problems have arisen in the water management sphere of the region today:

1. general deficit water resources;

2. lack of a unified legal framework;

3. frequent disregard for the interests of neighboring countries;

4. Violations of existing principles of water distribution in transboundary rivers;

5. non-fulfillment of compensatory supplies (meaning compensation to Kyrgyzstan for water from the Toktagul reservoir in the form of supplies of heat and energy resources in the winter).

All these problems can be solved only if there is sufficient political will of the Central Asian states. All issues should be resolved through constructive negotiations. The main thing is not to turn water into an instrument of political and economic pressure. It is necessary to give status to water common value. Water for Central Asia should become a unifying, not dividing principle. The interaction of the states of the region in this direction should be carried out on the basis of such generally accepted principles as respect for sovereignty, equal partnership, consideration of national interests and conscientious fulfillment of mutual obligations.

The main tasks to be addressed by the efforts of the countries of the region in this area are: