Surkhandarya region

Surkhandarya is in the extreme south of the country. Apart from the Surkhan–Sherabad valley its territory is mostly mountainous; the mountains block cold air from the north, so the region counts as Uzbekistan’s subtropical area. A distinctive feature is the hot, dry Afghan wind from the south, which seriously damages crops and so is taken into account when sowing. Underground there are oil, gas, coal (the Shargun and Baysun deposits), rock salt, non-ferrous metals and building materials; at the Khanjiza deposit in Sariasiya district projects have been carried out to process polymetallic ores such as zinc, lead, copper and silver. Natural population growth is high, and density is nearly twice the national average. The main branches of agriculture are grain, cotton (fine-fibre cotton in the hottest southern part), subtropical fruit, grapes, meat and dairy livestock, sheep farming and silk. The Surkhan and Sherabad rivers and the South Surkhan and Uchkizil reservoirs matter for farming; the Denau and Altynsay districts have many orchards and vineyards. In the mountains Hissar sheep and Angora goats are kept and in the desert karakul sheep, and “Surkhan suri” karakul skins are famous. The region’s share of national industry is small because it was long regarded as an agricultural area; the main branches are cotton ginning, food and flour milling, new textile complexes are being built and mining is developing. Termez is the regional centre and, with its Amu Darya port, railway, highway and airport, an important transport hub: freight to Afghanistan and through it to other countries passes here. Denau is a city that processes agricultural raw materials.