Traveling through the deserts of Kazakhstan -
Deserts of Kazakhstan -
Kyzylkum (desert) and the sandy valley between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. The area is 300,000 km² (more than 1/3 of which is located in Kazakhstan (Kyzylorda and South Kazakhstan regions).
Geographical location
The Kyzylkum Desert is located in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan (northern part), and a small part of the southwestern part of the Republic of Turkmenistan. The desert is bounded by the Aral Sea in the northwest and by the Zeravshan Valley and the Nuratau Mountains in Uzbekistan in the southeast. The average altitude ranges from 53 m (the Aral Sea coast in the Kyzylorda region) to 300 m (the Kayraktau Mountains in the South Kazakhstan region, 388 m).
Geological structure and topography
In the central part of the Kyzylkum Desert, there are remains of mountains (Bukantau, Tamdytau, Kulzhyktau, etc.). Uzbekistan), which appeared in the Paleozoic. Their highest point is 992 meters (Mount Tamdytau, in Uzbekistan). The terrain is generally flat. Geologically, it consists of three structural layers. They form Paleozoic igneous rocks cut by several explosions.
It consists of Jurassic and Cretaceous systems 500-2000 meters thick in the crust and sandy loam and marl deposits of the Cenozoic. It is also found in barren areas. All oil and gas fields have been discovered in Jurassic and Cretaceous deposits (Kyzylorda region).
Cretaceous and Paleozoic strata contain artesian waters. Most of the Kyzylkum Desert is occupied by ridges and ridges. Gravelly sands 10-15 meters high are occasionally encountered.
Climate
The climate is continental. The average January temperature is -7-9°C, dropping to -40°C in some years. The average July temperature is 26-29°C, sometimes reaching 46°C outdoors and 70-72°C on sand. Precipitation does not exceed 100-175 mm, 60-65% of which falls in winter and spring. Snow cover in the desert is unstable. The first snow falls in late November. Relative humidity in the desert during the summer months drops to 16-25% (in the south, 11-15%). Average wind speed is 3-5 m/s. Dust storms occur in summer.
Water System
There are no stable rivers in the Kyzylkum Desert. Only the canals of the Syr Darya River, which flows north, irrigate the river valley. In the southern Kyzylorda region are Kyzylorda, Kuandarya, Zhanadarya, and Inkardarya, among others. Large water systems are involved. In the spring, sand dunes, small lakes, and rivers appear between the ridges. The area is used as a year-round pasture. The Kazakh part of the Kyzylkum Desert is occupied by the administrative districts of the Kyzylorda region.
Soil, Flora, and Fauna
Most of the desert (92%) is covered with sand. Therefore, any soil contains sand. In general, the soils are pale brown, sandy-pink, and gray, saline. There are large deposits of marble, graphite, coal, and gold in the southwest. Vegetation is covered with ephemeral wormwood, saxaul, mugwort, sandalwood, sagebrush, poplar, and other plants. A grove grows around the Syr Darya delta. The Kyzylkum region is suitable for raising Karakol sheep, beef, and dairy cattle. Goitered gazelles, white goiters, and other species inhabit the desert sands. antelopes, mice, squirrels, turtles, etc. inhabit it.
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