General info

Location: Central Asia, north of Afghanistan.
Access to sea: Country is encircled by land.
Note: border passes through Aral Sea (420 km. of seaside of Aral sea).
Neighbors: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
Coordinates: 41 00 N, 64 00 E
Area:
total – 447,400 sq. km.;
land – 425,400 sq. km.;
water – 22,000 sq. km.
Land boundaries:
total length – 6,221 km.
extent of borders with Afghanistan - 137 km., Kazakhstan – 2,203 km., Kirgizstan – 1,099 km., Tadjikistan – 1,161 km., Turkmenistan – 1,621 km.;
Coastline: 0 km. (not to count 420 km. of Aral Sea)
Terrain. Most of the territory of Uzbekistan is occupied by plains (near four fifth of the territory). One of the main is Turanian plain. In the east and northeast of country are situated spurs of Tien-Shan and the Pamirs, here is the highest spot of country (4 643 ?). There is one of the largest desert of the world – Kizilkums on the north of central part of the territory of Uzbekistan.
Geological composition and useful minerals. Entrails of the country contain spares of natural gas, gray and stone coal, gold, copper, tungsten, bismuth; opened oilfields.
Internal waters. Majority of rivers of Uzbekistan are currently drying up, only Amu-Darya and Sir-Darya fall into the Aral Sea. There are several large artificial lakes in Uzbekistan, such as Chardarya reservoir.
Soil and vegetation. On plains dominates deserted vegetation, in mountains - steppes, wood, mountain meadows.
Animal world. Fauna of country highly varied: in the desert one can meet rare antelope Saygak and giant lizards, reaching lengths 1,5 ?. In mountains haunts a snow leopard and rare types mountain goats.
Mountain system. Mountains and foothills form approximately 1/5 territory of the republic. In the east dominate middle and high mountainous forms of the terrain: declivities or completions of mountain ranges West Tien-Shan (mountain ranges Ugam, Pskent, Chatkal, Kuramin) and the Pamirs-Alay (mountain ranges Zeravshan, Turkestan, Gissar, Kugitangtau, Baysuntau) are within the republic. To the south and west, they are gradually lower and move over to plains. Quiet big troughs: Kashqadarya, Surkhandarya, Zeravshan and Samarqand stretch between mountains. The largest intermountain trough – Ferghana hollow (valley) - 370 kilometers, and in the width reaches 190 kilometers. It is surrounded by the mountain ranges from three sides and open only from the west. Extensive Near Amu-Darya trough is on the border with Afghanistan.
Natural resources. Republic of Uzbekistan has great production and is mineral potential, unique agricultural raw materials, significant volumes of half-finished items, got in the process of conversion, rich natural resources, developed infrastructure.

Modern level of exploring useful minerals is connected with mastering richest deposits of noble, color and rare metals, all types of organic fuel - oil, natural gas and gas condensates, gray and half-coke coal, combustible schist, uranus, many other types of raw materials useful for construction work.

Broad complex of useful fossils, including near 100 types mineral raw materials is revealed on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, from which 60 are already in use in the public facilities.

Uzbekistan occupies leading places on confirmed stocks of such useful fossilized, as gold, uranus, copper, natural gas, tungsten, potassium salts, phosphorus, kaolin not only in C.I.S., but also in the world. So, on stocks of gold republic occupies a fourth place in the world, but on the level of its mining seventh place, on stocks of copper - tenth - eleventh place; uranus - seventh - eighth place, but on its mining - eleventh - a twelfth place.
Available stocks of mineral resources in its majority not only ensure acting mining complexes on the long prospect, but also allow to enlarge powers, newly organize a mining row most of the important useful fossilized - gold, uranus, copper, lead, silver, lithium, phosphorus, potassium salts, agricultural chemistry ore and others.