Central Asia as a natural region: position and borders
Lessons 1–2 · 2 lessons · P. Gulomov, H. Vahobov, P. Baratov, M. Mamatqulov. Geography (Physical Geography of Central Asia; Physical Geography of Uzbekistan), Grade 7. Revised and expanded 5th edition. “O‘qituvchi” Publishing House, Tashkent, 2017
2
Geographic position, borders and special features of the Central Asian region
Textbook: pp. 6–8
GoalKnow the geographic position and borders of Central Asia and the features that make it a separate region.
Central Asia lies in the middle of Eurasia. Its northernmost point is at about 53.8° N and its southernmost at 34° N; the western point is on the Mangyshlak Peninsula by the Caspian Sea (50.3° E) and the eastern point is at about 85.6° E. From north to south the region stretches about 2200 km, from west to east about 2750 km. In the south and east the border follows the watersheds of mountain ranges, because those mountains form climatic and hydrographic boundaries; in the north and north-west tectonic boundaries are used. Because it is far from the oceans (the nearest, the Indian Ocean, is over 1000 km away), the region has a sharply continental climate and is closed: its waters do not flow out. Its contrasts are striking: the Karagiye Depression is 132 m below sea level, while mountains rise above 7000 m.
Worked examples
A rough check: from 53.8° to 34° is 19.8° of latitude; since 1° of a meridian is about 111 km, 19.8 × 111 ≈ 2200 km, which matches the north–south length of the region.
The height difference between the Karagiye Depression (−132 m) and Ismoil Somoni Peak (7495 m) is 132 + 7495 = 7627 m, which shows the contrasts of the region’s nature.
Class activity
“Walk the border”: trace the region’s border on the map with a finger (Caspian — Ustyurt — Mugodzhar — Kazakh uplands — Tien Shan — Pamir — Hindu Kush — Kopet Dag) while your partner names each feature.
Practice
1
Give the region’s two lengths in kilometres.
About 2200 km from north to south and about 2750 km from west to east.
2
Why is the eastern and southern border drawn along the watersheds of the mountain ranges?
Because these mountains are a climatic and hydrographic boundary: rivers flow to opposite sides of the range, and air flows are blocked.
3
Find the height difference (in m) between the Karagiye Depression (−132 m) and a peak of 7495 m.
7627
4
Why is Central Asia called a closed region and what does this mean ecologically?
Its rivers do not reach the ocean but end in deserts and lakes; since water does not leave the region, shortage of water and salinisation become serious problems.