Mirzachul economic region and Syrdarya region

The Mirzachul economic region is made up of Syrdarya and Jizzakh regions. It borders the developed Tashkent and Zarafshan regions, and railways, highways and gas pipelines pass through it, so its economic-geographic position is favourable. The area is supplied with water mainly by the Syr Darya, the Sangzor and the South Mirzachul Canal; the plain is densely covered with irrigation works and roads. Of the mineral resources, tungsten, lead, zinc and gold have industrial value, and gravel, sand, gypsum and lime for building are plentiful. There are natural drawbacks too: cold air from the north enters and harms fruit trees, while a strong wind from the Fergana Valley dries out soil moisture. The people are mainly descendants of those who moved here from elsewhere in the mid-20th century, and settlements lie along main roads; by population the region is among the smallest. The Mirzachul steppe was developed by building irrigation works, roads, power lines and social institutions at the same time. The region specializes in cotton, grain, melons and gourds (the famous Mirzachul melons), karakul sheep and poultry; power generation, building materials, and light and food industries are growing too.