Natural resources of Central Asia. Natural resources of the countries of the region. Materials on the Internet

Farming, especially rural farming, will depend on the natural conditions of the territory. And the conditions of Asia are characterized by great diversity and contrasts. The highest mountain ranges with steep slopes are adjacent to lowlands and the monotony of their flat topography. Great contrasts are also typical for the climate, especially for humidification. Low-lying areas are well supplied with moisture because they are located in the monsoon climate region - this is the eastern and southern part of the region.

The western part of Foreign Asia lies in the Mediterranean climate region. $90\%$ of all arable land is concentrated in these parts of Asia. The central and southwestern parts are arid. The Asian part of the world lies in several climatic zones. The south of the territory lies in tropical latitudes and receives a total solar radiation$2$ times more than northern regions. Summer and winter temperatures on the Indonesian islands are almost the same, the average January temperature is +$25$ degrees, and the north of Manchuria, for example, has a January temperature of -$24$, -$28$ degrees. And the frosts there last longer. Significant climatic differences are also characteristic of mountainous regions and even within the mountainous territories themselves. This is due to the height of the mountains, their position, and the exposure of the slopes. Atmospheric circulation has a very clear effect on the climate of East and South Asia, where seasonal changes are clearly expressed air masses.

Finished works on a similar topic

• Coursework 440 rub.
• Abstract Natural conditions and resources of Foreign Asia 270 rub.
• Test Natural conditions and resources of Foreign Asia 230 rub.

The winter in these areas is characterized by the winter monsoon, and in the summer there is a summer monsoon. All East Asia, Hindustan and Indochina are located in the monsoon circulation zone, where annual precipitation can reach $2000 mm per year. Associated with the winter monsoon are cold continental air masses, which cause cooling in East Asia and partly in the tropics of Northern Indochina.

In the southern part of Asia, winter cold snaps do not occur, because the territory is under the influence of the Indian monsoon, which has smaller pressure gradients. On the other hand, India is closed in the north by the highest mountain ranges from the cold air masses of Central Asia. The interior regions of Asia, located on high altitudes and surrounded by mountains, have a sharply continental climate.

In winter, the Asian anticyclone dominates here and a harsh and long winter sets in. At low temperatures the soil freezes deeply, leading to the formation of areas of permafrost. In summer, the territory warms up well and an area of ​​low atmospheric pressure. Hot and dry weather persists. There is very little precipitation; high mountain ranges prevent their penetration. In closed basins only up to $50$ mm falls. But this inland region also has its own internal climatic differences. The reason for this is the different availability of thermal resources and thermal conditions.

An exceptionally hot region is Southwest Asia. She gets the most large number solar radiation, therefore it is the driest part of the continent. Deserts and semi-deserts are common here.

Note 1

A significant part of Foreign Asia has unfavorable climatic conditions for the development of agriculture. The equatorial regions are heavily humidified, and the vast plateaus and plains of Southwestern and Central Asia are too dry. Agriculture in these areas is possible only with land reclamation.

The location of agricultural production, the composition of cultivated plants, features of farming techniques, and crop productivity largely depend on climatic conditions. The level of agricultural development in the countries of Foreign Asia is relatively low, so crop yields are highly dependent on weather conditions. Based on climatic characteristics, several agroclimatic regions are distinguished in foreign Asia.

Mineral resources of Foreign Asia

The surface of Foreign Asia is represented by vast mountainous areas and lowlands, the areas of which are small. Low-lying areas are located along the outskirts of Asia - these are the eastern and southern coasts. The relief and the main tectonic areas are associated with mineral deposits, in which the subsoil of Foreign Asia is rich. Asia occupies a leading place in the world in terms of reserves of fuel and energy raw materials.

These are, first of all, huge deposits of coal, oil and gas. The subsoil of this part of the world contains the world's reserves of tin, antimony, mercury, graphite, sulfur, muscovite, zirconium, phosphate raw materials, potassium salts, chromites, and tungsten. However, from a geographical point of view, these resources are distributed unevenly. Coal, iron and manganese ores, and non-metallic minerals were formed within the Chinese and Hindustan platforms. There is a copper belt along the Pacific coast. In the Alpine-Himalayan folded region, ores are predominant.

The decisive role in the international geographical division of labor in Asia is played by oil and gas reserves, which are the main wealth of the region. The main hydrocarbon deposits are concentrated in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and the UAE. Large oil fields have been discovered in the countries of the Malay Archipelago - Indonesia, Malaysia. There is oil and gas in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. The Dead Sea is known for large reserves of salts, and the Iranian Plateau is known for sulfur and non-ferrous metals.

From all Asian countries greatest variety and mineral reserves are concentrated in the territory of the following states:

1. India;
2. Indonesia;
3. Iran;
4. Kazakhstan;
5. Türkiye;
6. Saudi Arabia.

Note 2

Those mineral deposits that are well known today do not reflect the true picture of the richness of the subsoil of this region. Ongoing exploration work is discovering new deposits of mineral raw materials. Shelf zones are becoming promising for hydrocarbon production, providing the mining industry with new opportunities.

Different subregions of Asia have their own set of mineral resources.

Western Asia. Here, first of all, the largest oil and gas fields are concentrated, in terms of reserves of which Western Asia is a leader among other regions of the world. According to 1980 data, in this area there are $43 billion tons of oil and more than $20 trillion. cube m of gas. Coal reserves amount to more than $23 billion tons. Ferrous metal ore reserves amount to $14 billion tons and are located in Turkey and Iraq. Reserves of titanium ores in Saudi Arabia and chrome ores in Turkey and Iran, Afghanistan and Oman. Non-metallic building materials are represented by gypsum, the reserves of which amount to $3 billion tons. In some countries of the region there are deposits of precious and semi-precious stones, for example, Iranian turquoise, Afghan lapis lazuli, ruby, emerald, rock crystal, aquamarine, marble onyx.

South Asia. It holds a leading position in reserves of muscovite, barite, titanium, pyrite, beryl, graphite, iron and manganese ores. This part also has significant reserves of oil and gas, as well as gold, copper, nickel, and tungsten ores. The most important energy raw material for South Asia is coal, the reserves of which are estimated at $115 billion tons. Total iron ore reserves amount to more than $13.5 billion tons. They are concentrated in India and Pakistan. There are small reserves in Sri Lanka and Nepal. Manganese ores have been mined in India for a long time. There are aluminum and nickel ores in this region. About $30\%$ of the total reserves of mining and chemical raw materials are located here - India, Pakistan, Nepal. Non-metallic raw materials are represented by Indian asbestos - India, gypsum - Pakistan, graphite - Sri Lanka. There are quartz, construction sands, dolomites, limestone and marble. Gems There are only diamonds in India.

Southeast Asia. The region ranks 1st in the world in terms of tin reserves and has significant reserves of nickel, cobalt, tungsten, copper, antimony, and barite. In addition, there are oil, gas, bauxite, chromite and other mineral resources. Exploration work for hydrocarbons is carried out on the continental shelf. Of the $36 potential pools, $25 belongs to Indonesia. There are coals in both Indonesia and Vietnam. Ore minerals, the reserves of which amount to more than $1271 million tons, are found in Burma, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Kampuchea. Among the ores of non-ferrous metals, aluminum and copper ores are known - Indonesia, Vietnam, Kampuchea.

Other types of resources in Overseas Asia

Foreign Asia is rich in its superficial waters, but are distributed water resources unevenly across the territory, and the supply decreases from the southeast to the northwest. Water resources are used, usually for irrigation, which helps solve problems associated with drought, soil salinity and wind erosion. In India, for example, $95\%$ of fresh water consumed is used for irrigation. Mountain rivers contain colossal reserves of hydroelectric energy, which is best provided in the humid tropics. Due to the economic backwardness of mountainous areas, the hydropotential of rivers is poorly used. For example, the hydro potential of the rivers of India and Pakistan is used by approximately $10\%$. Large Asian rivers have basins covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers. They are among the most important types of natural resources.

Another type of resource is soil. The huge size, varied topography and climate were the conditions for the formation of a complex soil cover. In the temperate climate zone, podzolic, sulfur and brown forest soils were formed. In the steppe regions there are chernozem-like and chestnut soils. In the Mediterranean subtropics, brown soils are dominant, and in monsoon regions, yellow soils and red soils are dominant. Peculiar tropical soils - regur or black soils - formed on the Hindustan Peninsula.

If we talk about forest resources, then Foreign Asia is not rich in them. Per capita forest resources account for only $0.3$ hectares, and the world average is $1.2$ hectares per person. Low availability of forest resources is typical for India, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Singapore. The southeast of the region is best provided with forest resources. Here, the areas of forest resources are not only large, but also accessible, which threatens their existence.

Recreational The region's resources began to be studied and used only in the second half of the 20th century. Attractive for tourists are the warm seas of South-West Asia - Türkiye and Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia.

Odessa-2007

Central Asia

General information about the Central Asia region. Economic-geographical location

Central Asia formed into an independent region in the 90s of the XX century. due to the collapse of the USSR. The region covers 6 countries (table), which have a common post-Soviet economic heritage, a similar political situation, which sometimes escalates into armed conflicts, and social problems.

Table 1

Central Asian countries

Comfortable economic-geographical position of the region. The countries of the region directly border the regions of Russia, South-West and East Asia. Only a narrow strip of Afghan territory separates them from largest countries South Asia - India and Pakistan.

Central Asia is located at the crossroads of important trade routes Eurasian significance. The territory has access to the closed Aral-Caspian basin. However, the lack of access to the World Ocean in the countries of Central Asia worsens their transport and geographical situation.

With the collapse of the USSR, the newly formed independent states Central Asia has become an arena for the clash of political and economic interests of the Muslim world (Turkey, Iran), on the one hand, the East Asian region (China, South Korea) on the other, Russia and the United States on the third. The long coexistence of the countries of the region within former USSR caused there are many common features of their socio-economic development.

Natural conditions, resources and population

Natural conditions. For the most part, relatively unfavorable for the life of the population. In Central Asia, vast areas occupy semi-deserts and deserts, unsuitable for life and farming.

The region's territory is mostly elevated. Mountain ranges and plateaus occupy 3/4 her. The largest mountain areas are in the south of the region (Tian Shan, Pamir, Altai, plateau - Kazakh small hill). The highest massif in the region is Pamir- highest point - Somoni (Communism) peak - 7495 m.

Characterized by high seismicity, which sometimes reaches 8-9 points.

Plains located mainly in river valleys. In the southern part there are many depressions, in place of which large lakes sometimes form

Climatic conditions varied, due to the latitudinal zone. In the north of Kazakhstan, winters are very long and summers are relatively short. Precipitation falls mainly in summer (300-500 mm). In Central Asia, the temperatures of day and night, summer and winter, which are characteristic of the continental type of climate, are especially contrasting.

Rivers are in important ways communications and water supply. Central Asia is rich in groundwater, a significant amount of which is spent to meet the needs of the population and moisten pastures.

Certain regions of Central Asia have favorable agroclimatic conditions(especially for growing some subtropical crops: cotton, melons, fruit trees).

Natural resources. The richness of the region - diverse mineral resources, represented by oil (Mangyshlak Peninsula in Kazakhstan, Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea), gas (Gazli field in Uzbekistan, eastern regions of Turkmenistan).

The region is rich in ore minerals: iron ore (northwest Kazakhstan), manganese (Dzhezdi deposit in Kazakhstan), chromium (northwest Kazakhstan), copper (Dzhezkazgan and Balkhash deposits in Kazakhstan), gold (Kyrgyzstan), mercury (in mountains of the Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan).

Natural resources of the countries of the region

KAZAKHSTAN	NAFTA, GAS, VUGILLA, ORE ORE, COPPER, POLYMETALS, BOXITY. SRIBLO. GOLD IS BIGGER
TURKMENISTAN	NATURAL GAS
UZBEKISTAN	GAS, POLYMETALS, BOXITY
KYRGYZSTAN	VUGILLA, MERCURY, ANTIMONY
TAJIKISTAN	VUGILLA, POLYMETALS, BOXITY

In Central Asia limited water supplies led to the creation of a wide network of irrigation structures, with the help of which water flow is regulated. For the purpose of irrigation, more than 30 large reservoirs (with a volume of over 100 million m3 each) and many main irrigation canals were built, including such as Chuisky, Northern and Greater Fergana, Amu-Bukhara, Karshunsky, Gissar, etc. Unique Karakum Canal(1200 km long) was built in 1954 and runs through the southern part of the Karakum Desert.

Population

Demographic features. In Central Asia it is traditional natural increase population is quite high. Women outnumber men (51 and 49%, respectively).

Racial composition. A significant number of representatives live on the territory of Kazakhstan Caucasian race. Kazakhs and Kyrgyz represent South Siberian mixed race group with clearly defined Mongoloid features and weak elements of Caucasianity. Turkmens, partly Uzbeks and Tajiks, belong to Central Asian mixed racial group, in which the features of Mongoloidity against the background of the Caucasian race are very weakly expressed.

Ethnic composition. Representatives of the following ethnic families live in the countries of the region:

Altai family:

- Turkic group (Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Turkmens, Uzbeks, Karakalpaks);

Indo-European family:

- Slavic group (Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians - immigrants to Central and Northern Asia);

Iranian group (Tajiks);

German group (Germans of Central Asia and Kazakhstan);

Religious composition. Most residents of Central and Central Asia are Muslims - Sunnis. Orthodoxy is widespread among Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians. Protestants are German settlers in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

The natural conditions and resources of the countries of Central Asia are characterized by both some common features and significant differences. The territories of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are located mainly within the platform area earth's crust(Turanian Plate) and are characterized by predominantly flat terrain. The Turan Lowland occupies about 80% of the territory of Uzbekistan and a significant part of Turkmenistan. The exception is certain mountainous areas in the south of Turkmenistan (Kopet Dag range) and the east of Uzbekistan (Zerafshan range). Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are almost entirely located within two mountain systems - the Pamir-Alai and Tien Shan. Mountains and highlands occupy 90% of the territory of Tajikistan and 95% of Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, about 50% of the territory of Tajikistan and 30% of Kyrgyzstan are located at an altitude of over 3000 m. The main part of the region belongs to the zone of seismic activity. Destructive earthquakes have repeatedly occurred here, leading to significant losses of people and material resources.

Climate throughout the territory it is subtropical, sharply continental and dry. On the one hand, it is characterized by high average monthly temperatures and a large amount of heat, and on the other, low precipitation, which makes farming impossible without irrigation. Thus, the frost-free period ranges from 200 to 240 days a year, and the number of days with an average daily temperature above +20 °C reaches 120 - 150 per year. All this provides the sum of active solar temperatures from 4000 °C to 5600 °C, allowing for the cultivation of a wide range of heat-loving plants. cultivated plants, as well as carry out two sowings per year.

The amount of precipitation is small, and it is distributed very unevenly across the territory. In the desert regions of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as in the Pamirs, up to 100 mm falls per year. In the foothills of the Kopetdag their number increases to 300 mm, on the windward slopes of the Tien Shan ranges - 1000 mm. On average, 200–300 mm of precipitation falls in lowland areas. Slightly more precipitation is observed in the intermountain valleys - Gissar (Tajikistan), Chui and Talas (Kyrgyzstan), which are the main areas of agriculture. Everywhere (both in intermountain valleys and along river valleys on the plains), farming requires artificial irrigation. The largest irrigation systems are the Karakum (Turkmenistan) and Fergana (Uzbekistan) canals. Outside the zones of irrigated agriculture, in semi-desert and desert areas, as well as in the mountains, pasture farming is developed. Low-snow winters promote year-round grazing.

Of all the diversity soil cover Mostly gray soils are used, which, when irrigated, provide high yields. They are located in almost all intermountain valleys - Vakhsh, Fergana, Chui, Talas. In the Pamirs, gray soils rise to a height of 2000 m above sea level. A significant part of the territory is occupied by sands (Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts) and unproductive soils (including saline ones). In the foothills there are mixed-grass steppes, which are also heavily developed and used for rain-fed agriculture (growing mainly grain crops in an arid climate without irrigation). IN mountainous areas Uzbekistan rise to a height of up to 1200 m deciduous forests from cherry plum, elm, almond, which then move into subalpine meadows. In Tajikistan, forests are located up to 3000 m, and above that there are alpine meadows. In total, approximately 6.5 million hectares of land are under forests in the region, but the industrial significance of the forests is small.

In the Pamir-Alai and Tien Shan mountains there are significant areas of glaciers that feed most rivers region. The Vakhsh and Pyanj rivers originate in the Pamir Mountains, forming the deep Amu Darya. Zeravshan is also one of the large rivers. In the high mountainous regions of the Tien Shan, largest river Kyrgyzstan - Naryn (upper reaches of the Syr Darya). All mountain rivers are high-water and have great hydroelectric potential. Technically possible hydropower resources are estimated at 250 billion kWh. In terms of their size, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are second only to Russia among the CIS countries. River waters are used for irrigation, as well as industrial and domestic needs. In the area of ​​the high-mountain lake Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan), a resort and tourist zone of international importance has developed. Significant withdrawals of water from the Amudarya and Syrdarya for irrigation needs led to a violation of the regime of the internal Aral Sea, which entailed a catastrophic reduction in its area and gave rise to a number of social and environmental problems regional scale. This territory has been declared an environmental disaster area.

The subsoil of Central Asia is rich in various mineral resources. In terms of reserves of some of them (natural gas, gold, antimony, mercury, uranium ores, etc.), the republics occupy leading positions not only in the CIS, but also in the world. At the same time, there are significant differences in the provision of individual republics with certain types of minerals. Uzbekistan has the widest range of mineral resources. In its depths there are large reserves of mineral fuel: natural gas (Gazli, Mubarek and other fields within the Bukhara-Khiva oil and gas province), oil (Fergana Valley), brown coal (the largest Angren field in the region). Deposits of gold, tungsten, copper and polymetallic ores have been discovered in the mountainous regions in the east of the country.

In Turkmenistan, the basis of the mineral resource base is also fuel resources. Rich natural gas deposits have been discovered in the Central Karakum Desert and in the south of the country (proven reserves are estimated at 2.8 trillion m3). In the west of Turkmenistan (Turkmen oil and gas province within the South Caspian Basin) significant oil deposits are concentrated (Nebitdag, Kumdag, Okarem). Industrial oil reserves are estimated at 250 million tons. Ozocerite (natural petroleum bitumen) is also mined here, which has wide economic applications, including in medicine. In the area of ​​the dried Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay there are large reserves of Glauber's salt (mirabilite), as well as iodine salts, magnesium chloride, and bromine. Sulfur deposits have been discovered.

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have significant reserves of various ore resources. Among them are polymetallic ores. The reserves of tungsten, gold, antimony and mercury are estimated to be large. Among ferrous metals, only the Khujand iron ore deposit in Tajikistan can be distinguished (reserves are estimated at 120 million tons). Fuel resources are limited. They are represented by a few deposits of hard and brown coal with reserves of local importance, as well as uranium ores. Oil and natural gas deposits have been explored in Tajikistan. Large stocks available table salt, mineral construction raw materials. Other minerals include precious and semi-precious stones and mineral waters.

ASIA, the largest part of the world, located mainly in the Eastern Hemisphere (except for the Chukotka Peninsula) north of the equator; forms a continent together with Europe Eurasia. From North America Africa is separated by the Bering Strait and connected to Africa by the narrow Isthmus of Suez.

General information

Area approx. 43.4 million km 2. 4.299 billion people live in Africa. (2014, over 60% of the population globe). In socio-economic terms, the Asian part of Russia includes the federal subjects included in the Ural, Siberian and Far Eastern federal districts.

Extreme points A.: in the north - Cape Chelyuskin (77°43´ N) on the Taimyr Peninsula, in the east - Cape Dezhnev (169°40´ W) on the Chukotka Peninsula, in the south - Cape Piai (1°16 ´ N. latitude) on the Malacca Peninsula, in the west - Cape Baba (26 ° 10´ E.) in Turkey (see. Physical card). The physical-geographical border of A. with Europe is taken main watershed The Urals (or its eastern foot), the Ural River valley, the Caspian Sea, the Kuma-Manych depression, the Sea of ​​Azov and the Kerch Strait (sometimes the axial part of the Greater Caucasus), the Black and Marmara seas, the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits.

The shores of A. are washed in the north by the Arctic Ocean, in the east by the Pacific Ocean, in the south Indian Oceans and their marginal seas, in the west – inland seas Atlantic Ocean(Mediterranean, Aegean, Marble, Black). Vast inland areas that have no connection with the World Ocean belong to drainage areas or areas of internal drainage (the Caspian and Aral seas, lakes Balkhash, Lop Nor, etc.). The banks are relatively poorly dissected. The largest peninsulas: Yamal, Taimyr, Chukotka, Kamchatka, Korean, Indochina, Malacca, Hindustan, Arabian, Asia Minor. The islands are occupied by St. 2 million km 2; among them the largest: Severnaya Zemlya, Novosibirsk, Sakhalin, Japanese, Taiwan, Hainan, Philippine, Greater Sunda, Sri Lanka. In A. there are: highest point the globe - Mount Chomolungma (8848 m, according to other sources - 8850 m); the deepest depression is El Gor, in which the closed Dead Sea lake is located (430 m below sea level); the largest sea-lake is the Caspian Sea; the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal (20% of world reserves fresh water without glaciers), included in the World Heritage List; the wettest place on earth - populated area Cherrapunji in the Shillong Highlands of India (average over the observation period about 12,000 mm, maximum - 22,900 mm of precipitation per year).

The following physiographic regions are distinguished: Northern Asia (all of Siberia and the Russian Far East), Eastern Asia (China east of 110° E, Korean Peninsula, Japanese Islands), Southeast Asia (Indochina Peninsula, Malay Archipelago) , South Asia (Hindustan Peninsula, Sri Lanka), Western Asia (Caucasus and Western Highlands), South-West Asia (Levant and Arabian Peninsula), Central Asia (Mongolia, Western China, including Tibet) and Central Asia (Turanian Plain , Pamir and Tien Shan).

Relief

Africa is characterized by a general elevation of the territory (3/4 of the area), the dominance of mountains and plateaus with a small area of ​​plains. An extended mountain belt is formed by mountains and highlands of Alpine (Cenozoic) folding. The Asia Minor (average altitude 800–1500 m), Armenian (approx. 2000 m) and Iranian (500–2000 m) highlands are framed by the folded block and folded Pontic Mountains, Taurus, Zagros, Elborz, Kopetdag, Paropamiz, Hindu Kush. To the north of the Armenian Highlands rise the Greater Caucasus (up to 5642 m, Mount Elbrus) and the Lesser Caucasus. A large mountain junction is formed by the Pamir highlands (the highest point - 7495 m - Communism Peak, or Ismail Samani Peak) with the Fedchenko glacier - the longest glacier in Asia (77 km, area about 700 km 2). The greatest mountain system in the world stretches for 2500 km - the Himalayas (average altitude approx. 6000 m, 11 peaks above 8000 m, including Chomolungma). The Karakoram reaches a significant height with Mount Chogori (altitude 8611 m) - the second peak of the world - and with the largest mountain glacier in area, A. Siachen (length approximately 76 km, area 750 km 2). All high mountain systems - with pointed peaks, narrow ridges and deep valleys - are covered with glaciers and snowfields. From the east At the tip of the Himalayas, alpine folded structures continue in the Arakan-Yoma (Arakan) mountains and on the islands of the Malay and Philippine archipelagos, on the island of Taiwan, as well as in the northeast and east of the mainland: Koryak Highlands , Sredinny ridge on the Kamchatka Peninsula, West Sakhalin and East Sakhalin Mountains on Sakhalin Island, on the Kuril and Japanese Islands. This is an area of ​​development of young folded mountains with strong erosional dissection and intense manifestation of volcanism and active seismicity. The relief is distinguished by great contrast: the amplitude of heights between the mountains of the islands and the deep-sea depressions reaches 12 km. On the Kamchatka Peninsula there is the highest active volcano A. - Klyuchevskaya Sopka(4688 m).

The mountains of Middle A. and Central A. are structures with a block and vault-block structure with a characteristic latitudinal-linear strike of the ridges. The highest and most extensive systems are Tien Shan (altitude up to 7439 m) and Kunlun (altitude up to 7723 m), Nanshan (altitude up to 5808 m) and Altyntag (altitude up to 6161 m). In the middle mountains of the Tien Shan, leveling surfaces are widely developed, lying at an altitude of 3000–4000 m. One of the deepest intermountain depressions is Turpan depression(155 m below sea level). Extensive Tibetan plateau(altitude up to 5000 m) in the central part is occupied by high hilly strata and denudation plains with numerous lake basins and horst ridges. Intense denudation and insignificant runoff led to smoothing out the altitudinal differences between flat-topped ridges and intermountain depressions. In Central Africa, in the Gobi Desert (altitudes up to 1200 m), significant areas are occupied by high denudation plains of a folded-block structure with ridges, areas of small hills, and volcanic plateaus. The Beishan vaulted blocky highland (up to 2583 m high) is bordered by gravelly foothills. For high Dzungarian Plain And Great Lakes Basins Characterized by table hills, rocky plains (hammads), hilly and ridged sands. In relief Kazakh small hills low-mountain massifs are noticeable (altitudes up to 1565 m). In the northeast of China and in the north of the Korean Peninsula there are the Greater Khingan Mountains (up to 2158 m high), the Liaoxi Plateau (up to 2050 m high) and Manchu-Korean Mountains(altitude up to 2750 m). The revived mountains include Altai (up to 4506 m), Mongolian Altai(altitude up to 4204 m), Sayan and Khangai (altitude up to 4021 m), etc.

A fairly extensive fold belt begins in North-Eastern Siberia, where Verkhoyansk ridge(altitude up to 2283 m) and Chersky ridge(altitude up to 3003 m), as well as Kolyma Highlands alternate with intermountain depressions and accumulative plains (Kolyma, Yana-Indigirka, etc.), and continues on Far East the Sikhote-Alin mountains (altitude up to 2090 m). By eastern the periphery of the Tibetan Plateau stretches blocky-folded Sino-Tibetan mountains(altitude up to 7556 m). On the peninsulas of Indochina and Malacca, arched blocky low and medium-high mountains stretch meridionally. The platform regions of Africa are characterized by medium-altitude (up to 3000 m) blocky and vaulted blocky mountains with smoothed peaks and steep slopes: in the east there is Taishan, North Korean mountains, Dobashan and Shanxi Highlands; on the Hindustan Peninsula - Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats, Aravalli; on the Arabian Peninsula - Hijaz, to the north - the Jebel Ansaria, Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges.

South Asia

South Asia covers India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The majority of the population of Hindustan belongs to the Indo-Afg. variant of the Indo-Mediterranean race, among the untouchable castes, etc. Aboriginal tribes (Adivasis) are dominated by South Indians. race. The population of the Himalayan zone is dominated by the south. South Asian representatives. Mongoloid race. To the most ancient ethnic. The stratum of the population of Hindustan is ascended by speakers of Dravidian languages ​​(Dravidians), which are now spoken by large peoples of the south. states of India (Kannara, Telugu, Tamil, Malayali), as well as many others. tribes of the South and Center. Deccan and Brahui in southern Pakistan. In the 4th–3rd millennium BC. e. Tibeto-Burman settled in the Himalayan zone. peoples in Orissa and Bihar (from Northern Indochina) - Munda, in the 2nd millennium BC. e. From Front and Middle Africa, speakers of Indo-Aryan languages ​​(Aryans), now dominant in the North, migrate to India. and Center. Hindustan. The Burishi in the Khunzakh-Gilgit valley of the Karakoram speak an isolated language, which, according to some scholars, is distantly related to the Caucasian languages. Basic occupation - arable farming, irrigated and rainfed. They cultivate wheat and millet (in the north), rice (in the south), and various legumes and oilseeds. Some peoples are engaged in semi-nomadic and transhumance (in the Himalayan zone) cattle breeding (buffaloes, sheep), hunting and gathering. Basic food - flatbreads, porridges, cereal balls with spicy seasonings and sauces made from legumes (Hindi dal), vegetables, and less often meat or fish (curry). In the upper castes there is a strong tendency towards vegetarianism; only representatives of the lower castes eat beef and pork. Cow butter is used primarily in ritual food. A unique feature of the peoples of the South. A. is a comprehensive division of society into castes. The caste system is most developed among Hindus; representatives of other faiths - Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and Christians - usually remember their caste origin and take it into account in everyday behavior; Hunter-gatherer tribes with their tribal cults are outside the caste division, but their communities can turn into lower castes. The opposition of the concepts is of great importance: pakka (real, correct) and kachcha (undignified, unprestigious). Pakka is a complete suit with all accessories, a brick or stone dwelling, food fried in oil; kachcha - an incomplete and random set of clothes, an adobe or reed hut, raw food or food boiled in water. Hinduism serves as the basis of Hindu civilization with Sanskrit (in different local graphics) as the basis. language of culture. Buddhism in its homeland, India, is now poorly represented. It dominates in Ladakh (East Kashmir), Nepal and Bhutan - in the northern form, close to Tibetan, and in Sri Lanka - in the southern one. form. Islam dominates in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Traditional clothes in the north – decomposition. forms of kaftans and narrow trousers; in the rest of Hindustan, unstitched clothing predominates - saris for women, loincloths (lungi, languti, dhoti) for men. The forms of housing are extremely varied depending on the climate and local traditions.

Central Asia

Central Asia, separated from Hindustan by the Himalayas, includes the territories of Mongolia, North, North-West. and Zap. China (Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Tibet), inhabited by Mongols, Tibetans and partly Turks. peoples. Central Asian predominates. North Asian option. race. To Central Asia. The Mongol-speaking Buryats and the Kalmyks, who are geographically distant from them, are close in culture to the peoples. Basic occupation - nomadic cattle breeding (small and cattle, yaks, camels, horses), in the valleys and oases - arable farming (mainly barley). Basic food - meat (mostly in winter) and dairy (in summer) products (sour milk, including kumiss, fresh and dried cottage cheese, pressed foam, etc.), fried flour; in Tibet - cereal (Tibetan tsamba), which is used to season tea with the addition of milk, butter, melted fat, meat flour and salt. Basic clothing - right-wing dressing gowns, with an additional left hem, sheepskin coats, shoes - leather and felt boots. The dwelling is collapsible, covered with woolen material: among the Mongols and Turks (the same as in Middle and Front Africa) - a lattice yurt made of light felt, among the Tibetans (also among the Iranian and Arab nomads of Front Africa and Afghanistan) - so-called a black tent or black tent made of coarse woolen fabric. Central Asian. civilization is based on northern, or Tibetan, Buddhism (Lamaism), which absorbed elements of the Himalayan-Tibetan. shamanism, in Old Tibet. and Old Mong. lit-re. Shamanism itself is also widespread.

Central Asia

Central Asia in plural relations occupies an intermediate position between the Center. and South-West. A., includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Xinjiang (North-West China) and Afghanistan. The peoples of Central Africa speak Iranian and Turkic, which later spread here. languages. Phys. the type is presented in the main diff. combinations of Caucasoid Indo-Mediterranean and contact (Caucasoid-Mongoloid) South Siberian races. Thanks to the hot climate and deep rivers fed by mountain glaciers, irrigated agriculture has been developing here since ancient times (5th millennium BC); In the steppe regions, nomadic and semi-nomadic cattle breeding is traditionally more developed, in the foothills - transhumance cattle breeding. Basic food - flatbreads baked in a clay oven with a domed vault - tandoor, pilaf, noodles, dumplings, sour milk (airan, katyk), cream (kaimak), cottage cheese (suzme, kurt); great importance, in contrast to Central Asia. kitchens, have vegetables and fruits. Religion is Sunni Islam (in the Pamirs - Shiite Ismaili), combined with elements of shamanism, the more pronounced the further north you go. In literature and art, Western Asian (Iranian, to a lesser extent Arab) influence predominates. Housing so-called Near Asian type: adobe or adobe residential and farm buildings. buildings with a flat roof face the interior. courtyard, facing the street with a blank wall (Turkic duval). Nomads have felt yurts. Clothing - trousers with a tunic-like dress-shirt, sometimes with a dress or sleeveless vest for women, a robe (different cut than in Central Asia - without a collar or buttons) and a narrow jacket or sleeveless vest (Turkic beshmet) for men. Men's headwear - skullcaps and turbans, sheepskin hats. Married women had to completely hide their hair with towel headdresses (which, in particular, was dictated by the norms of Islam - see Hijab), sometimes the entire figure (see Burqa), girls wore hats (skullcaps, etc.).

Southwest (Anterior) Asia

South-West (Anterior) Asia includes Iran and Asian countries. Middle East. The peoples of Western Africa speak Iranian (in the east), Semitic (in the southwest), and Turkic (in the northwest) languages. Representatives of Western Asia predominate. and Mediterranean variants of the Indo-Mediterranean Caucasian race. Front Africa is one of the oldest centers of irrigated agriculture, horticulture, and viticulture. In the west, the date palm plays an important role, and cattle breeding developed in the steppe and mountain regions. Basic food - flatbreads, sour milk, spit-fried meat (kebabs) and in the form of minced meat, bean sauces, dried fruits and dishes based on them. Housing and clothing are close to Central Asian. Front Africa is the birthplace of all Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam); Nowadays Islam predominates here, mainly. Sunnism, in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon - Shiism; from Zap. Representatives of various types also live from Iran to Syria and Lebanon. fractional denominations of Islam, Christians of different faiths, Judaists, Samaritans, Druze, Yezidis, Zoroastrians, Mandaeans, etc. Under the influence of Islam, ornament and calligraphy, depicting, received preferential development in art. art developed under the influence of Persians. traditions. The architecture is characterized by spindle-shaped columns, peaked domes, coffered and stalactite-honeycomb ceilings, and covered terraces.

Caucasus

To the most ancient ethnic. Speakers of the North Caucasian and Kartvelian languages ​​ascend to the layer of the Caucasus. Indo-European languages ​​are spoken by Ossetians, Armenians, etc. In the 1st millennium, a Turkic-speaking population appeared here. The South European Balkan-Caucasian and Indo-Mediterranean races predominate. Until the 11th–12th centuries. South The Caucasus (Transcaucasia) can be considered as the northern. the periphery of the Anterior A., ​​and the flat and foothill regions of the Northern. Caucasus - like the south. steppe periphery of the East. Europe. The cultural unity of the Caucasus was formed during the period of its unification in the 12th–13th centuries. Georgian kingdom. Basic traditional occupation - arable farming archaic. appearance, often terraced (wheat, spelt, barley), transhumance (especially sheep breeding), gardening, viticulture and winemaking. Among the peoples of the North. Caucasus from the 14th century. wine is being replaced by light alcoholic drinks made from grain (buza, beer). Settlements in the mountains (auls) are very crowded, adapted for defense. Houses in the main made of stone. In some places, tower houses and dugout dwellings with a fireplace in the center and a light-smoke hole in the false-vaulted ceiling, supported by four pillars near the hearth, are preserved (Georgian darbazi, Armenian glkhatun, Azerbaijani karadam). In steppe treeless areas, adobe and adobe dwellings and large settlements with a street layout are common; in wooded areas, trees are common. houses and scattered settlements. Men's costume developed by the 17th–18th centuries; includes trousers, a shirt, a narrow jacket (arhaluk, beshmet) and a fitted caftan made of cloth (Cherkesska), a felt cape (burka), a sheepskin headdress (papakha) or towel type (bashlyk), piston-type shoes (chuvyaki, chirki) or boots. Women's clothing - a tunic-like shirt-dress and pants, a swinging fitted dress with a deep neckline. Of the world religions, Christianity was the first to spread (from the 4th century) (it became the first state religion in the world in the Armenian kingdom in 301), from the beginning the Arab. conquests (7th century) – Islam. Pre-Islamic and pre-Christian cults, mythology, and archaic cults are preserved. customs (blood feud, ritual feast, hospitality, etc.).

Natural resource potential of the countries of Central Asia (official data of the republics and data of international organizations)

Introduction
The natural resource potential of a territory (NRP) is the totality of its natural resources that can be used in economic activity taking into account scientific and technological progress 1. Natural resource potential (natural resources) is diverse. It includes energy, land and soil, water, forest, biological (flora and fauna), mineral (mineral), climatic and recreational resources.
Thus, when we talk about the natural resource potential of a territory, we mean those natural resources that a given territory possesses. When assessing the PRP, it is customary to start with those resources whose reserves are especially large and have great value for the economy of a country, region or world. Typically, mineral resources are characterized first, then other types: land, water, forest, etc.
Natural resource potential does not determine the role of the state in the international arena, the degree of its influence on political processes in the world or the well-being of the nation. There are many examples of states that are relatively poor in natural resources achieving global leadership, and vice versa. At the same time, the availability of natural resources is an important factor that determines, among other things, the state’s ability to defend its independence and interests and strengthens its power in the negotiation processes. Also, the presence of a resource base determines the attractiveness of one country for another (usually a strong world power). Therefore, the study of the provision of natural resources in the Central Asian region is relevant today. This work will characterize the natural resources of the countries of the region based on national data and assessments of international organizations, and also analyze the natural resource potential of Central Asia in general.

Natural resource potential of the countries of Central Asia.

Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan has a variety of mineral resources. According to the EconRus regional catalogue, Kazakhstan ranks sixth in the world in terms of natural resource reserves; according to some scientists, the explored subsoil of Kazakhstan is estimated at approximately 10 trillion US dollars 2 . According to official sources, out of 110 elements of the periodic table, 99 have been identified in the depths of Kazakhstan, reserves of 70 have been explored, and more than 60 elements are involved in production. It is noted that 493 deposits are currently known, containing 1225 types of mineral raw materials 3 .
According to the results of a geological and economic assessment of the existing mineral reserves of Kazakhstan, coal, oil, copper, iron, lead, zinc, chromite, gold, and manganese have the greatest weight in terms of economic importance 4 .
Official sources report that Kazakhstan ranks first in the world in terms of tungsten reserves, second in reserves of chromium and phosphorus ores, fourth in lead and molybdenum, eighth in total iron ore reserves (16.6 billion tons). Kazakhstan has approximately 8% of the world's iron ore reserves and about 25% of the world's uranium reserves 5 . However, according to American sources, we are talking about approximately 5.5% of the world's ore reserves ( see Table 1).
Table 1
Proven iron ore reserves, million metric tons.

Country	Iron Ore Reserves	Iron Ore Reserve Base	Reserves in terms of iron	Reserve base in terms of iron
USA	6900	15000	2100	4600
Australia	16000	45000	10000	28000
Brazil	16000	33000	8900	17000
China	21000	46000	7000	15000
Kazakhstan	8300	19000	3300	7400
Russia	25000	56000	14000	31000
Ukraine	30000	68000	9000	20000
The world at large	150000	350000	73000	160000

Source: Mineral commodity summaries 2009, http://minerals.usgs.gov/ minerals/pubs/mcs/2009/ mcs2009.pdf
According to the above information, Kazakhstan is in 7th place in terms of iron ore reserves.
For uranium, international organizations give figures from 12% to 15% (see Table 2).
Table 2.

Uranium reserves in 2007 (tons)

Rank Country W.N.A. ENS 1 Australia 1,243,000 725,000 2 Kazakhstan 817,000 378,100 3 Russia 546,000 172,400 4 South Africa 435,000 284,400 5 Canada 423,000 329,200 6 USA 342,000 339,000 7 Brazil 278,000 157,400 8 Namibia 275,000 176,400 9 Niger 274,000 243,100 10 Ukraine 200,000 135,000 11 Jordan 112,000 N/A 12 Uzbekistan 111,000 72,400 13 India 73,000 N/A 14 China 68,000 N/A 15 Mongolia 62,000 N/A 16 Armenia 55,000 N/A Other 210,000 287,600 Total 5,469,000 3,300,000

The table contains data on world uranium reserves in 2007 based on data World Nuclear Association And European Nuclear Society . Source: Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia. http://www.ru.wikipedia.org
According to information from various organizations, Kazakhstan is in second place in the world in terms of uranium reserves, therefore, despite significant discrepancies between official sources and data from international organizations, we can talk about strategically important reserves of this resource.
Kazakhstan has significant oil and gas reserves concentrated in the western region, allowing the republic to be classified as one of the largest oil-producing states in the world. The discovery of a new oil-bearing area within the South Turgai depression expands the prospects for the further development of oil production in the republic. Proven oil reserves, according to international sources, amount to 30 billion barrels, according to this indicator the country ranks 11th in the world (see Appendix 1). In Kazakhstan today, 14 promising basins are known, located almost throughout its entire territory, where only 160 oil and gas fields have been explored so far, but not all of these fields, not to mention entire basins, are exploited.
Gas reserves in the country amount to 2,407 trillion. m 3, which puts it in 15th place in the world and 2nd among Central Asian countries (see Appendix 2). And the republic's own needs are still only at the level of 18-20 million tons of oil and 500 thousand tons per year of lubricating oils, 16-18 billion cubic meters of gas 6 .
The raw material base of the gold mining industry in Kazakhstan is represented mainly by small (with reserves up to 25 tons) and medium-sized (from 25 to 100 tons) deposits, which currently produce about 70% of all gold produced in the republic. The leading position is occupied by the deposits of Eastern, Northern and Central Kazakhstan. Gold reserves in the republic as a whole are estimated at approximately 800 tons, while the average metal content in ore is 6.3 g/t (for developed deposits this figure is on average 9 g/t). The state balance of Kazakhstan currently accounts for 237 gold ore deposits, including primary (122), complex (81) and alluvial (34) deposits. Gold deposits in Kazakhstan are characterized by a low metal content in the ore, as well as the presence of a significant proportion of difficult-to-process ores. At the same time, relatively favorable mining and technical conditions for extraction make it possible to maintain its cost at the level of the world average 7 . Gold reserves in Kazakhstan are smaller than in Uzbekistan; for example, some sources do not even include the country in the ranking of countries with significant deposits of the metal ( see Appendix 3), rising prices on the world market, as well as ambitious plans of the government, which is ready to make significant investments in the development of gold mining in the country, can increase the role of Kazakhstan in the world gold market.
According to Russian sources, Kazakhstan is in 7th place in the world in terms of coal reserves. According to the Mineral Center, coal reserves in Kazakhstan amount to 127.5 billion tons, of which more than 32 billion tons are confirmed.
Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan is located in the southwest of Central Asia. Its territory is 488.1 thousand square meters. km. Turkmenistan occupies a favorable geographical position. The country is a “bridge” between Europe, the European CIS countries, the central part of Russia, on the one hand, and the vast regions of Central and South Asia, on the other hand. On land, Turkmenistan borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran, and has access to the Caspian Sea.
Turkmenistan is rich in various mineral resources. The country has large reserves of mercury, sulfur, ozokerite, and, which is important for the arid desert climate, sources of fresh drinking and mineral medicinal water. In terms of industrial reserves of ozokerite, Turkmenistan ranked second in the USSR after Ukraine. The Republic also has all known types of mineral salt deposits. Turkmenistan has the richest reserves of mineral construction raw materials: cement and construction (gypsum, anhydrides, clays and loess-like loams, construction limestone, igneous rocks, facing materials, ornamental stones and others). Turkmenistan is also known for other natural resources which are in great demand on the world market.
A factor of strategic importance that can determine the historical fate of Turkmenistan is the presence of large oil and gas reserves in the republic. According to the geological development of the sedimentary complex, the conditions of oil and gas accumulation and the prospects for oil and gas potential, the territory is divided into seven oil and gas regions: Western Turkmen, Central Karakum, Beurdeshik-Khiva, Chardzhou, Zaunguz, Murgab, Badkhyz-Karabil 8 . In terms of proven gas reserves, Turkmenistan occupied 2nd place even in the largest fuel and energy power, which was the USSR. And currently, Turkmenistan ranks 4th in the world in terms of proven gas reserves, and 44th in terms of oil reserves 9 (see Appendix 1, 2). Explored gold reserves allow the republic to create its own gold reserves 10 .
Turkmenistan has large reserves native sulfur, iodine, bromine, table and potassium salts, sodium sulfate, magnesium salts, ozokerite. Among chemical raw materials, native sulfur occupies an important place. There are two known deposits on the territory of the republic - Darvaza and Sernozavodsk, where sulfur was mined from 1930 to 1961. Currently, sulfur mining has been discontinued due to very high costs 11 .
Bromine reserves in Turkmenistan, according to US official sources, amount to about 700 thousand metric tons, which is less than only the reserves of the United States and Spain 12 . It is not possible to give an unambiguous position in the world due to the fact that for some major producing countries there is no data on proven reserves.
The country's iodine reserves are 350 thousand metric tons, proven reserves are 170 thousand metric tons. In terms of iodine reserves, Turkmenistan lags behind only the USA, Chile and Japan, ranking 4th in the world 13 .
The resources of potassium salts in the Gaurdak region are significant. The reserves of the world's largest deposit of natural salts are exceptionally large marine type in the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay. Mirabilite and other valuable chemical compounds are mined here. Deposits of silver, gold, lead, copper, and zinc have been explored 14.
Kyrgyzstan.
On the territory of Kyrgyzstan there are significant deposits of gold and rare metals. In addition, Kyrgyzstan has fairly large reserves of coal, oil, natural gas, bismuth, zinc, mercury, uranium, tin, tungsten, antimony (especially high quality raw materials), lead, nepheline syenites. The large hydropower potential is of particular importance for the economy of Kyrgyzstan 15 . The total estimated value of mineral reserves in the republic is $900 billion 16 .
Today there are 199 fully explored deposits with 37 types of minerals on the state balance sheet (see Table 3)
Table 3
Mineral deposits on the state balance sheet.

Type of mineral	Number of deposits	Type of mineral	Number of deposits
Oil	11	Beryllium	1
Gas	11	Fluorite	4
Coal	49	Gypsum	9
Gold ore	24	Rock salt	8
Placer gold	24	Facing stone	11
Silver	12	Ceramic raw materials	2
Mercury	4	Wollastonite	1
Antimony	7	Bentonite clay	1
Tin	2	mica	1
Tungsten	2	Sulfur pyrite	1
Copper	7	Clay	65
Lead	3	Gravel	86
Zinc	2	Limestone	8
Rare earth metals	1	Building stone	25
Molybdenum	1	Sand	6
Bismuth	3	Expanded clay and aglopyrite	6
Arseny	2	Basalt	2
Cobalt	1	Potter's clay	1

Deposits of mercury, iron, titanium, vanadium, aluminum, copper, molybdenum and beryllium can be used. Also, reserves of tantalum niobate, cobalt, lithium and colored stones are of industrial importance. According to UNDP and State Environmental Protection Agency estimates, reserves mineral resources in Kyrgyzstan are as follows: mercury - 79,200 tons of metal, tungsten - 386,000 tons (including ready for operation - 125,200 tons), tin - 318,800 tons (including ready for operation - 214,700 tons), beryllium oxide - 104,000 tons, uranium - 11,000 tons, aluminum - 400 million tons, copper - 3.5 million tons, iron - 2.8 billion tons 17.
During World War II, the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic (as it was then called) supplied 15-18% of the Soviet Union's total lead production, as well as mercury and antimony. In the post-war years, new mining enterprises were opened, producing uranium, rare earth metals, gold, molybdenum, and gas and oil production began. At the end of the 1980s, the Kadamzhai plant in the Batken region occupied the third place in the world in the production of antimony, and the Khaidarkan mining plant in the west of the Osh region also occupied the third place in the world in the production of mercury 18 . Today, according to the United States, Kyrgyzstan ranks 4th in the world in terms of mercury reserves (reserves 7,500 mt, reserve base - 13,000 mt, which is approximately 5.4% of global indicators) 19 . Molybdenum reserves amount to 100 thousand mt, the reserve base is 180 thousand mt. (less than 1% of the global total) 20 .
Gas and oil production remains negligible and has been in decline since 1990, but hydrocarbon exploration intensified around 2002, primarily in the Fergana and Naryn valleys. The Kyrgyz Republic has significant coal deposits. According to UNDP sources and official authorities, the country has 70 coal deposits, reserves are estimated at 4.665 billion tons 21 . Russian sources give reserves of about 1 billion tons. Rapid increases in commodity prices, including coal, over the past 3 years have led to renewed private sector interest in mining, although the profitability of mine rehabilitation or expansion remains uncertain 22 .
Oil and gas reserves in Kyrgyzstan are not large, especially in comparison with the reserves of its neighbors - Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In terms of oil reserves, Kyrgyzstan is in second to last place, and in terms of gas reserves, it is in last place among the Central Asian countries ( see Appendix 1,2).
About 25,000 gold deposits have been discovered in the country, the total gold reserves in them are 2,500-3,000 tons, of which the explored reserves are 560 tons 23 .
Since 1991, of all the ore deposits in Kyrgyzstan, only one facility has been launched - Kumtor - an area of ​​special attention of the government. There are even separate columns in the annual economic reports for the republic: “Export with Kumtor” - “Export without Kumtor”, “GDP with Kumtor” - “GDP without Kumtor” 24 . Gold prices continue to hold their position in international markets. Compared to 2000, the cost of one ounce of precious metal has increased 4.5 times and today is about $1,140. Moreover, the international market shows a steady upward trend. This means that Kyrgyzstan has a great chance to bet on the development of an industry related to gold mining in medium and small deposits, which could produce no less than the amount of precious metal already mined.
The total volume of fresh groundwater in the country is 16,260,800 m 3 /day (188 m 3 /sec), which creates unlimited opportunities for increasing the production and export of fresh and environmentally friendly water 25 .
Tajikistan
The natural resources of Tajikistan are very diverse. According to the State Committee for Investments and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan, many deposits of polychemical, rare and precious metals have been identified 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 of export importance. There are deposits of coal, gas, oil, marble, building materials. Tajikistan occupies a leading place in Central Asia in terms of coal reserves. Total geological reserves are approximately 4.0 billion tons. 80% of coal is coking 26. At the same time, Russian sources on the total reserves of hard and brown coal in Tajikistan give a figure of 410 million tons; for the countries of Central Asia this is the lowest figure, and only Turkmenistan lags behind the republic in terms of explored coal reserves.
In general, about 400 mineral deposits have been explored, more than 70 of which are being exploited 27 . Well-known deposits of Tajikistan include the gold deposits of Penjikent and Shugnan, the Bolshoi Kanimansur silver deposit, the Anzob antimony deposits, the marble deposits in Vanch, Penjikent, Darvoz, Shahristan and others.
The main metallogenic potential of gold in the republic is concentrated in the promising areas of Northern, Central Tajikistan and Southern Pamirs. Explored reserves are concentrated in the gold-quartz deposits of the Jilau-Taror and Turkestan-Chorin ore zones of Central Tajikistan, as well as the gold-quartz and gold-sulfide objects of Karamazar. In total, more than 150 gold ore objects have been identified in the republic, most of which have been little explored.
The most significant gold deposit, Taror, is located 44 km from the city of Penjikent. Mineralization at the deposit is localized in the zone of skarnization and silicification, developed at the contact of granitoids with limestones. The zone has the form of a sheet-like deposit. The main minerals in the ore are gold, silver, copper, associated minerals are bismuth, selenium, tellurium. Harmful impurity - arsenic 28.
In the north of Tajikistan, in the Sughd region, there is one of the world's largest silver deposits - Bolshoi Konimansur. The deposit's reserves amount to about 1 billion tons of ore with a silver content of 49 g per 1 ton, lead - 0.49% per 1 ton and zinc - 0.38% per 1 ton. The total silver reserves of Bolshoi Konimansur exceed 50,000 tons 29 .
The Republic of Tajikistan occupies a leading place in the Central Asian region in terms of reserves of lead-zinc ores, according to official sources of the Main Department of Geology under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. At the same time, no other source confirms the presence of significant reserves of polymetallic ores in Tajikistan. The leader in the region is Kazakhstan, which is one of the 8 countries that account for about 65% of the world's proven reserves of lead 30 and 50% of zinc production in the CIS 31 . Commercial mineralization reserves are located in skarns confined primarily to cross-cutting contacts of granitoid dikes in carbonate sediments, as well as on a significant scale in stockworks and hydrothermal veins in propylitized Upper Paleozoic volcanics of Central Karamazar. Significant prospects for base metals are associated with the southern frame of the Fergana Depression, where the presence of large stratiform deposits is expected in Devonian terrigenous-carbonate deposits. More than 90% of the explored reserves of these metals are concentrated in the Karamazar ore district. Suffice it to note that more than one billion tons of lead-zinc ores have been explored in the Bolshoi Konimansur and Altyntopkan ore fields alone, most of which can be mined by open-pit mining. In addition to lead, zinc, silver, bismuth, and cadmium, these ores contain a number of valuable associated components in extractable quantities 32 .
Antimony. In terms of confirmed antimony reserves, Tajikistan ranks third (after China and Thailand) in Asia and first among the CIS countries 33 . Reserves, according to US official sources, amount to 50,000 meters. t., reserve base - 150,000 meters. t 34.
Aluminum reserves in Tajikistan amount to 515 thousand meters. t 35.
In terms of hydropower resources, Tajikistan ranks second after the Russian Federation, among the CIS countries and eighth in the world.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan has a unique natural resource potential. Favorable agroclimatic conditions and significant mineral resources largely determine the country's economic development strategy.
The republic has more than 2,800 deposits and promising occurrences of mineral resources, about 100 types of mineral raw materials, of which 65 are used in industry and agriculture. More than 900 deposits have been explored, with proven reserves estimated at $970 billion 36 . USA. The total mineral resource potential is estimated at 3 – 3.5 trillion. USD 37 .
Currently, more than 1,800 deposits and about 1,000 promising occurrences of mineral resources of 118 types of mineral raw materials have been identified, of which 65 are being developed. More than 1,500 fields have been explored, including 188 oil, gas and condensate fields; 48 - noble metals, 43 - non-ferrous, rare and radioactive metals, 5 - ferrous metals; 3 - coal; 37 - mining, 22 - mining chemical and 30 - semi-precious stone raw materials; 525 - building materials for various purposes and 357 - fresh and mineral groundwater. More than 40% of explored deposits are involved in development 38 .
As reported by most national and international sources, the republic ranks fourth or fifth in the world in terms of gold reserves. However, official US data indicate 9th position in the world ranking ( see Appendix 4). According to them, reserves amount to 1700 mt. According to other sources, reserves are about 5,230 tons 39 . Of the explored and prepared reserves, less than 20% has been developed, which suggests great potential for increasing gold mining and production.
Uzbekistan has significant reserves of precious and rare metals (silver, uranium, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, tungsten, lithium, etc.). According to official data, the republic ranks 10-11th in the world in terms of copper reserves, and 7-8th place in uranium reserves 40 . Some international organizations place Uzbekistan in 11-12 place in terms of uranium reserves ( see Table 2). Molybdenum reserves are estimated at 60,000 mt, the reserve base is 150,000 41.
On the territory of the republic, silver reserves are accounted for in 26 deposits, 80.4% of reserves are in complex and gold deposits - Kalmakyr and Dalnee, Uchkulach, Handiza, Kochbulak, Kyzylalmasay, Muruntau. The actual silver deposits are Vysokovoltnoe, Kosmanachi, and Okzhetpes 42 deposits.
About 60% of the republic's territory is promising for oil and gas production. In terms of reserves of these main hydrocarbons, Uzbekistan is in 3rd place in Central Asia (after Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) and in 45th and 19th place in the world, respectively (see Appendix 1, 2). In terms of coal reserves, Uzbekistan ranks 2nd in Central Asia after Kazakhstan (see Appendix 4).
The Republic has significant resources of non-metallic minerals. This group (over 70 species) consists mainly of mining, mining chemical and glass-ceramic raw materials, deposits of agricultural ores, building materials, sorbents and abrasives. These include phosphorite deposits with total reserves of up to 122 million tons of phosphorus anhydride and predicted resources of 100 million tons; graphite, potassium salts (Tyubegatan deposit, proven reserves amount to 686 million tons); rock salt reserves (Khojaikanskoye, Tyubegatanskoye, Baybichekanskoye - in Southern Uzbekistan and Barsakelmeskoye, Akkalinskoye - in the Republic of Karakalpakstan) are estimated at 90 billion tons 43 . 20 deposits of marble, 15 of granite and gabbro have been identified in the republic 44 .
The republic has a significant potential of hydropower resources. Uzbekistan accounts for 14% of the potential and technically possible to use hydropower resources of Central Asia, of which 21% is actually used 45
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