Tajikistan State of the Environment Report - 2000

Geography

Tajikistan is situated in the south of the Commonwealth of Independent States, in Central Asia, between 36°40’ - 41°05’ northern latitude and 67°31’ - 75°14’ eastern longitude, approximately on the same level with Greece, southern Italy or Spain. Tajikistan’s territory is 143,1 thousand km².

The absolute altitudes range from 300 up to 7495 meters above sea level. The territory is extended as long as 700 km from west to east and 350 km from north to south. From north and west Tajikistan borders with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, from the south with Afghanistan and from the east with China. Total border length is 3000 km. In the southeast Tajikistan neighbors with India and Pakistan through the Afghanistan’s territory which is 15 - 65 km broad.

Geographically Tajikistan may be divided into five distinct natural-geographical regions: North, Southwest, Center, West Pamirs and East Pamirs. Climatic conditions, landscapes, geological constitutions, flora, fauna and human pressures in those regions are different.

Climate of Tajikistan is arid continental and it is characterized by significant seasonal and daily temperature fluctuations, specific relative humidity and other meteorological elements. Annual average sunshine is about 2090 - 3160 hours. Annual average solar radiation reaches 220 kkal/cm². Precipitation greatly depends on the direction of mountain ranges as well as air masses circulation. So, annual average precipitation in lowland hot deserts of northern Tajikistan and cold high-mountain deserts of East Pamirs range from 70 to 160 mm, while in Central Tajikistan precipitation can exceed 2000 mm per year. West and southwest windy slopes are humidified in most cases.

Complexity of landscape and wide range of altitudes makes specific local climate here. Average surface air temperature varies from +17° C in the south to -7° C in the east regions of the republic. Maximum temperature is in July and minimum in January. In southwest valleys the average surface air temperature is +14° C +17° C, in northern valleys is +14° C +15° C, in foothill zones +6° C +11° C. The high-mountain regions of West Pamirs are known for their severe climate. Average temperature here is close to zero, and only in lower reaches it rises up to +6° C +8° C. East Pamirs is distinguished with its extreme severe climate. Annual temperature here is mainly below zero and makes –1° C –6 ° C. Absolute minimum is observed within surroundings of Bulunkul lake –63° C. During last 75-50 years average temperature increased from 0,2° C to 1,3° C, obviously due to global climate change.

Modern and various tectonic processes occur on the territory of Tajikistan very regularly. Almost 93% of Tajikistan’s territory are mountains and they are considered as the highest mountains of Central Asia – Tian-Shan and Pamir-Alay that formed during Gerzen and Alpine orogenesis. About half of the country’s territory situated on the 3000 meters above sea level, thus the difference between minimal and maximal altitudes exceeds 7000 meters. Kuramin ridge and Mogoltau mountains, Fergana valley, Gissar-Alay, Southwest Tajikistan (Tajik depression) and Pamirs are Tajikistan’s fundamental orographic elements. Principal mountain ridges are Kuramin, Zeravshan, Turkestan, Gissar, Karategin, Vahsh, Vanch, Yazgulem, Ishkashim, Sarikol, Rushan, Shugnan, Zaalai, Shahdara, North- and South Alichur, Peter Primus, Hazratisho, Muzkol, Aktau, Karatau, Tuyontau and others.

Tajikistan’s territory is extremely diverse in many kinds of rocks dated back to the various geological epochs. Quaternary, Neogene and Palaeogene geological systems can be observed in the southwest and north of the country. Cambrian, Ordovic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Permian, Carbon and intrusive rocks dominate in Central Tajikistan. Upper Cambrian, Jurassic, Permian, Carbon and Triassic dominate in the Pamirs along with intrusive rocks.

Tajikistan is rich with coal, oil, gas, mercury, molybdenum, antimony, tin, gold, silver, phosphor, salt, talc, asbestos, fluorite, marble, gypsum, clay, precious stones and other mineral resources. More than 400 deposits were discovered and 70 are being exploited.

Due to specific climate and landscape conditions Tajikistan is considered as the main glacial center of Central Asia. Glaciers and snowfields are the main water sources for Aral Sea. Glacier area in Tajikistan covers approximately 8470 km², which is 6% of the whole country’s territory. The main ice areas are concentrated in Western Pamirs’ mountains. The largest glacier of Tajikistan is Fedchenko. Its length exceeds 70 km, average depth of ice exceeds 800 m. Total number of glaciers is 1000 and 7 of them have the length more than 20 km. In addition to their hydrological and geomorphologic values, glaciers play an essential role in local and regional climate formation.

For the Aral Sea Tajikistan’s rivers are the basic sources of fresh water. These rivers can be called “rivers of life” as far as they provide populated areas with water for irrigation cotton growing and power generation. Four main watersheds, such as Sirdaria (North Tajikistan), Zeravshan (Central Tajikistan), Panji (Southwest Tajikistan and Pamirs) and non-withdrawal area of East Pamirs are located on the Tajik territory. The largest rivers are Panji, Vahsh, Sirdaria, Zeravshan, Kafirnigan, Bartang and etc. There are 947 rivers in Tajikistan with the length more 10 km. Total river length is 28500 km. Average annual surface runoff ranges from 1 l/sec/km² in lowlands up to 45 l/sec/km² in highlands. During flood season, when snow melts and rainfall occurs (April-August), rivers carry plenty of mixed mud stuffs while their density exceed 5 kg/m³.

In terms of hydrological resources Tajikistan takes first place in Central Asia. Hydrological resources are basically used for irrigation, industrial and municipal purposes. Mountain rivers are also used for generating of hydroelectric power. It is necessary to note, that 96-98% of all electric power in Tajikistan is produced by hydroelectric power stations.

Groundwater is basically used for water supply and manufacturing. Hot and cold mineral waters are widely distributed on the territory of Tajikistan. The most well known mineral water sources are Garm-chashma (Hot spring), Liyangar, Anzob, Khodja-Obigarm, Sangkhok, Yavroz, Shambari, and Tashbulak. Many mineral water sources are used for medical, drinking and other purposes.

Tajikistan is rich with its lakes. There are more than 1000 lakes, 80% of which are situated at the altitude of 3000 meters with an area of less 1 km². Total area of large lakes exceeds 680 km². According to condition of origination, lakes are divided into tectonic, erosive and glacial. The largest salty water lake in Tajikistan is Karakul, which is located in East Pamirs (3914 meters above sea level), total area 380 km². The deepest fresh water lake in Tajikistan is Sarezskoe (3239 meters above sea level), its depth exceeds 490 meters, total area 86,5 km². Sarezskoe lake is on the West Pamirs within the canyon of Bartang river, which was naturally dumped as the result of powerful earthquake in February 1911. The volume of water in Sarezskoe lake exceeds 17 km³. Sarezskoe lake is potentially dangerous due to instability of its natural dam and it threats to flood a large territory of Tajikistan and Central Asian region.

There are 4 high-altitude zones of soil cover in Tajikistan: lowlands and hills with gray soil types, middle mountains with brown soil types, high-mountains with high-mountain meadow-steppe and desert soil types and nival zone. Lowlands and hills occupy altitude from 300 to 1600 m, middle mountains from 1600 to 2800 m, high-mountains from 2800 to 4500 m, nival zone above 4500 m above sea level. Gray soils are basically used for irrigation, while brown soils for dry land farming.

Flora of Tajikistan is rich and diverse and includes more than 5.000 species of plants. Tajikistan as a typical mountain country is peculiar with high-altitude flora distribution and its geographic isolation. Few geo-botanic regions can be found on its territory: Gissar-Darvaz, Turkestan, Zeravshan, Kuramin, South-Tajik, Badahshan, Pamirs and Eastern Pamirs. Flora of above-mentioned areas is very specific and virtually cannot be found in other regions.

Some of plant communities are typical for Tajikistan: broad-leaved forests (Acer turkestanicum, Juglans regia), tugai flood plain forests (Populus pruinosa, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Tamarix laxa, Phragmites communes), small-leaved forests (Salix turanica, Hippophae rhamnoides, Populous tadshicistanica, Betula tadshicistanica), juniper forests (Juniperus turkestanica, J. seravschanica, J. semiglobosa), light forests (Pistacia vera, Cercis griffithii, Amygdalus bucharica), brushwood (Rosa kokanica), saxaul deserts, shrub deserts, steppes, meadows, pulvinates, thorn dwarf shrubs.

The fauna of Tajikistan is very diverse. There are 84 species and subspecies mammals, 346 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles, 49 species of fishes, 2 species of amphibians, more than 10.000 species of invertebrates. Such diversity of species takes place due to specific geographical location of Tajikistan inside of Eurasia continent. Few rare and endangered species of animals should be listed, such as screw-horned goat (markhor), argali, Bukhara red deer, snow leopard, Central Asian cobra, desert monitor, snow-cock and others.

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