Māris kļaviņŠ, azamat azizov, JĀnis zaļoksnis environment, pollution, development: the case of uzbekistan

Figure 2.1. 
Flag of the 
Republic of Uzbekistan
Figure 2.2. 
Emblem 
of the Republic of 
Uzbekistan
Figure 2.3. 
Geographic 
location of Uzbekistan

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10 
ENVIRONMENT, POLLUTION, DEVELOPMENT:  THE CASE OF UZBEKISTAN
Sea. Small mountainous ridges and elevations cross its central part, 
closed inland drainage basins are common for the landscape in the 
South. In the South and Southeast of the country the plains gradually 
transform themselves into ridges and reliefs of the Tien-Shan and 
Gissar-Allay  mountain  systems.  Between  these  ridges  are  located 
vast valleys with plane-like surfaces (e.g. Tashkent-Golodnosteppe 
Valley, Fergana and Zeravshan Valleys). The territory of the Republic 
is characterised by significant variations in altitude. The lowest spot 
is at the bottom of the Mingbulak depression (12 meters under sea 
level). Khazret Sultan peak of the Gissar Chain is the highest point, 
at 4643 m above sea level. 
Uzbekistan’s  climate  is  strongly  influenced  by  its  location 
between the subtropical and temperate zones. High solar radia-
tion, coupled with the unique features of its surface and air 
circulation patterns form a continental-type climate. This climate is 
characterized by seasonal and day-to-night fluctuations in tempera-
ture, long, hot, and dry summers, humid springs, and irregular 
(some times cold) winters. Depending on the location, average July 
temperatures vary from 26 °C in the North, to 30 °C in the South, 
with  the  peak  temperature  around  45-47 °C.  Average  January 
temperatures are –8 °C in the North, and 0 °C in the South, with the 
lowest temperature being –38° (on the Usturt Plateau). Uzbekistan’s 
territory is penetrated by diverse air masses. Transformed Atlantic 
and  Arctic  air  masses  access  the  vast  plains  from  the  North  and 
Northwest. Incursion of tropical air masses and warm southern 
cyclones can occur across Central Asia, particularly during the cold 
Figure 2.4. 
Lowland 
landscape of Uzbekistan 
(Photo by Adriana 
Dinu by United 
Nations Development 
Programme in 
Europe and CIS UN 
Photostream)

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2. UZBEKISTAN: A COUNTRY WITH HISTORY, PRESENT AND FUTURE
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half of the year, provoking intensive warming and abrupt changes in 
the weather.
Precipitation occurs all year-round, peaking between April and 
May,  or  between  March  and  April  in  higher  altitudes.  However, 
precipitation is most common in winter and spring. In spring, snow 
avalanches are likely and intense rainfall can lead to mudslides. 
Highly arid, continental, tropical air forms in the summer months, 
intensely heating the deserts. On the whole, precipitation is minimal 
(within the range of 80-200 mm a year), yet very unstable, with an 
annual precipitation variation factor of 0.5. Precipitation can be as 
much as 300-400 mm a year in the foothills, and 600-800 mm a year 
on the western and south west slopes of mountain ranges, which are 
subject to wet air masses. Conspicuously, the Aral Sea does not affect 
the quantity of precipitation very much, only contributing to slight 
increases of humidity in the narrow coastal areas.