GY 105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Fergana Valley, Qing Dynasty, Foreign Corporation
19 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
Region is at center of eurasian continent. Physical geography dominated by arid plains and basins. Aral sea is one of the 20th century"s greatest environmental tragedies. Resulted in cultural, economic, and ecological damage. Relatively clean region due to low population density. Overgrazing, poor farming practices have led to desertification. Caspian sea suffered water loss from irrigation. Massive dam-building projects have led caused political tension. Created through collision of indian subcontinent with asian mainland. Created world"s highest mountains, and several other ranges. Tibetan plateau alternates east-west mountains with basins. 2 sub regions: central belt of deserts. In west, arid plains of caspian, aral basins. Taklimakan and gobi dominate east: northern strip of semiarid steppes. Global warming has reduced permafrost and cause mountain glacier retreat in tibetan plateau. Gobi desert, tibetan plateau could see increased precipitation. Farming is limited to valleys in southern tibetan plateau. Majority lives in narrow area where mountains meet basins and plains.
