Zarafshan economic region and Samarkand region

The Zarafshan economic region consists of Samarkand, Bukhara and Navoi regions; by area it is second after the Lower Amudarya region. Most of the territory is occupied by the Kyzylkum Desert, with low mountains such as Tamdytau and Bukantau in its centre and the western parts of the Nurata, Oktau and Karatau ranges in the east. The climate is sharply continental: summers are hot and dry, annual precipitation in the desert is about 100–300 mm, and the sum of temperatures in the growing season reaches roughly 3000 °C in the north and 5000 °C in the south. So irrigated farming is found in the Zarafshan valley and oases, while desert pasture livestock, especially karakul sheep, is developed in the desert. To supply the Bukhara oasis the Amu–Bukhara pumped canal was taken from the Amu Darya: powerful pumps lift the water and carry it to the Kuyimazar reservoir. The region is rich in minerals: gas fields such as Gazli, Uchkir and Karaulbazar, oil, Muruntau gold, rare metals at Ingichka and Zarmitan, sulphur and building raw materials. Population is very uneven: dense in the oases and extremely sparse in the desert. Industry has many branches: power, non-ferrous metallurgy, oil refining, chemicals, machine building, building materials, and light and food. The refinery at Karaulbazar meets a significant share of the country’s needs. More than half of the country’s pastures and a large share of karakul sheep and camels are in this region.