Kyzyl Kum

 

or Kizil Kum (both: kəzŭl' kūm) [Turk.,=red sand], desert, c.115,000 sq mi (297,900 sq km), in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. This vast region SE of the Aral Sea between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers consists mainly of rocky areas covered by sparse vegetation and shifting sand dunes. Cotton, rice, and wheat are grown in river valleys and irrigated oases. Seminomadic tribespeople raise Karakul sheep and camels. Gold and natural gas deposits are exploited.

The Kyzyl Kum (Uzbek: Qizilqum, Kazakh: Қызылқум), also called Qyzylqum, is the 11th largest desert in the world. Its name means red sand in both Uzbek and Kazakh. It is located in Central Asia in the doab between the rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya, and is divided between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and (partly) Turkmenistan. It covers about 298,000 km² (approximately 115,000 sq mi).

Geography

The territory consists mainly of an extensive plain at an altitude up to 300 m (about 1000 feet) above sea level, with a number of the depressions and highlands (Sultanuizdag, Bukantau). Most of the area is covered with sand-dunes (barkhans); in the North-West large areas are covered with takirs (clay coatings); there are also some oases. There are agricultural settlements along the rivers and in the oases.

Fauna

Desert fauna include the extremely rare Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica) and a large lizard (Varan, Varanus griseus) that can reach lengths of 1.6 m (5 ft). There is a Kyzyl Kum nature reserve in Bukhara Province, founded in 1971. The area of the reserve amounts to 101,000 km² (approximately 39,000 sq mi) and it is located on flood-land (tugai) drained by the Amu-Darya close to the settlement Dargan Ata. Fauna include: the Bukhara Deer (a local species of Cervus elaphus), Wild Boar (Sus scrofa), Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetus) etc.

Another reserve (or eco-centre), "Djeyran", is located 40 km to the south of Bukhara. The total area of this reserve is 51,450 km² (approximately 20,000 sq mi). It is a breeding centre for rare animals such as: the Gazelle (Djeyran, Gazella subgutturosa), Przewalski's Horse (Equus przewalskii), the Koulan (Onager, Equus hemionus) and Great Bustard (Otis tarda). The reserve was founded in 1977.

Economy

The local population uses the large spaces of the Kyzyl Kum as a pasture for livestock (mostly sheep, Bactrian Camels and dromedaries).

The Kyzyl Kum is well known for its deposits of gold, uranium, copper, aluminium and silver, natural gas and oil. The development of most the famous gold-field at Muruntau began in the early 1960s. The centres for the mining and smelting industry at the region are Navoi, Zarafshan city, Uchkuduk. The major industrial enterprises are: НГМК (Navoi Mining and Smelting Complex) and the Uzbek U.S.A. Joint Venture "Zarafshan-Newmont". The centres of the gas-production industry are Gazli and Mubarek.

Photo-gallery

Most of the area is covered with sand-dunes.	The local population use the large spaces of the Kyzyl Kum for pasturing livestock.	Agama lizard.	Kyzyl Kum landscape.
People of the Kyzyl Kum.

See also

• Karakum Desert, another desert of Central Asia
• Andronovo culture
• The Aydar Lake, large artificial lake
• Sarmishsay,ancient monuments of anthropogenic activity
• List of deserts by area

External links

• More photos of Uzbekistan Nature Environment
• Qyzylqum photos

Deserts

Ad-Dahna · Alvord · Arabian · Aral Karakum · Atacama · Baja California · Barsuki · Betpak-Dala · Chalbi · Chihuahuan · Dasht-e Kavir · Dasht-e Lut · Dasht-e Margoh · Dasht-e Naomid · Gibson · Gobi · Great Basin · Great Sandy Desert · Great Victoria Desert · Kalahari · Karakum · Kyzylkum · Libyan · Little Sandy Desert · Mojave · Monte · Namib · Nefud · Negev · Nubian · Ordos · Owyhee · Patagonian · Qaidam · Registan · Rub' al Khali · Ryn-Peski · Sahara · Saryesik-Atyrau · Sechura · Simpson · Sonoran · Strzelecki · Syrian · Taklamakan · Tanami · Thar · Tihamah · Ustyurt

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