Uzbekistan

Population: 26,851,195 (July 2005 est.)

Capital: Tashkent

Environmental Issues: shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT

The Aral Desert

The ‘Virgin Lands Scheme' was an ambitious project enacted by the Soviet Union in the 1960s to irrigate large plots of steppe in Central Asia for cotton production. The scheme diverted water from the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya rivers through the construction of thousands of kilometres of irrigation channels.

In 1963, the surface area of the Aral Sea was 66,100 km 2 , by 1987 27,000 km 2 of land had become exposed due to 90% of water resources being allocated to cotton and rice irrigation schemes. Today the shore of the Aral Sea lies around 150 kilometres from its previous location and an estimated 40,000 km 2 of shore bed has been exposed.

In Uzbekistan , the death of the Aral Sea has meant the end of a prosperous fishing industry, increased salinity of arable land, the out migration of numerous citizens, reduced access to safe drinking water and an increase in diseases such as anaemia, cancer and tuberculosis.

The following memoirs are from residents of Kazak Darya, Uzbekistan , a small village that sat on the banks of the Aral Sea . This is their version of the ‘Aral Sea Tragedy'.

	Jetkerbay Bukeshev
	Jetkerbay was the director of the Kazak Darya fishing factory during the 1960s and 1970s. It has been 21 years since he last saw the Aral Sea . Jetkerbay tells of a busy and industrious time when the fishing fleet totalled 50 boats. He recalls seeing the last sturgeon that ever came into the port of Kazak Darya .
	Medetboy Berdimuratov
	Medetboy played in the sea as a child and enjoyed fishing. He was involved in all aspects of the fishing industry throughout his life. One of his strongest memories of the sea is of a terrifying time when he became stranded at sea with his crew for a whole week.
	Ulman Kalanderova
	Ulman used to collect wood and reeds on islands that were located not too far from the bank of the Aral Sea . She recalls a time when people were more worried about losing loved ones at sea, rather than having access to safe drinking water and a plentiful food supply.
	Makshet Tokhtybaev
	Makshet has been a farmer all of his life. He used to grow fruits and vegetables, but under directions of the government he must now grow cotton. He is worried about the consequences of polluted and saline waters on people's lives.
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