Amu Darya River - the largest water flow in Central Asia.Its length is 1415 km, and the pool water intake - Bole 309,000 square kilometers.It flows through five countries: Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.River Vakhsh and Panj formed in the merger.The main flow is formed in Tajikistan - 85%, and northern Afghanistan - 15%.Amu Darya flows into the Aral Sea, which forms near the delta.The river has 3 large right tributaries: Sherabad, Kafirnigan and Surkhandarya.There is little left tributary - Kunduz.Power up the river and glacial meltwater.80% water, 36 water reservoirs regulate the volume of 24 billion cubic meters.The annual flow of the river - 73.6 km3.The maximum water flow rate - in the summer, the minimum - in January and February.
economic importance of the Amu Darya
This river is vital to the huge number of people living in its basin.Its water is used for domestic use, electricity generation, agriculture, for drinking and industrial use.In the lower reaches of the river and floodplain lakes of local fisheries.Near the town of Turkmenabat Amu Darya river is navigable.Water for the most part dealt with agriculture for irrigation, as this activity is an important sector of the economies of all 5 countries - up to 35% of GDP.For example, in Afghanistan, up to 80% of the population is employed in this sector.More than others take on agriculture Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - up to 40%.In the Amu Darya built the biggest in the world channel - Karakum, along which there are huge fields of wheat and cotton.Also, a large number of cultivated melons.
history
river is known since time immemorial.The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote that in ancient times the Amu Darya 40 mouths went into the swamp and had 360 channels, but only one sleeve flows into the Caspian Sea.But modern scholars have found that the water flow reaches only Sarykamysh lake.Thus, the information of the ancient chronicler were probably based on oral tradition.The Amu Darya in ancient times wore many names.Zoroastrians called it Vakhsh, argali, or Raha Ranh.The ancient Greeks called the Aras.And in the time of the conquests of Alexander the Great River had the name Oksos.On the banks of the Amu Darya placed great states of antiquity: Khorezm, Bactria and Sogdiana.In the Middle Ages the Amu Darya was the trade route from Russia to Bukhara.Peter I tried to actively involve in the Russian River trade.In those days, it was examined the Amu Darya river.Map of the time is quite accurate.Systematic studies of the river began only in the XX century.At the same time they began to observe the composition of water.
Ecology
on the Amu Darya in the past decade has increased the load, which caused a sharp deterioration in the composition of the water.Also, there was an imbalance.The Amu Darya River today shows disturbing parameters of mineralization and rigidity.For example, in 1940 the water hardness was 4.2 mg.ekv / liter.In the 90 th year - 9. And today - 9.8 mg.ekv / liter.The concentration of salt depends on the season.These figures are due to massive dumping into the river business, and industrial water, are also important runoff and emissions from ships of the river fleet.As the river flows through several countries, problems of its treatment - is a comprehensive effort.To date, the governments of all five countries have made plans and signed contracts.
Fishing
fish is found in the lower reaches of rivers and lakes in the Amu Darya basin.The main prey of fishermen - a carp, salmon, chub, barbel and Marinka.But in the headwaters also with fish - Osman, which replaces the river trout.This fishing facilities, and are found in the waters of the Amu Darya River more than a hundred different species.Marinka, barbel and Ottoman - is quite unique creatures that are found mainly in the Amu Darya.They have antennae that are looking for a prey in the murky water.Osman differ from longhorn beetles and marinkas that his tail and sides are covered with small scales, rare, absolutely bare belly, and there are 2 additional segment.Fishing on the Amu Darya lasts from May to October.You can catch a spinning, Donkey and poludonkami.
Tourism
love to come here rafting.And Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers are attractive in this respect - there are several interesting places.The route begins a few kilometers from Tashkent.The peak of the alloy is in the middle of September and October.Lovers of history and travel come here from all over the world to admire the majestic ancient cities and visit the Amudarya reserve.Along the banks of the river are several climatic zones: desert, semi-desert and mountains.In this region live in single-humped Bactrian camels and listed in the Red Book of the snow leopard.In addition, it is located Mollakara miraculous lake, which cures many diseases.It bloomed once the ancient city of times of Alexander the Great - Nisa.Amu Darya - the eternal charm of history.
