Geography Uzbekistan	|	Natural Conditions	|	Population Uzbekistan
Samarkand	|	Bukhara	|	Khiva
Shakhrisabz	|	Tashkent	|	Termez

Natural conditions
Uzbekistan is characterized by arid and sharply continental climate and a quick change from unstable winter to warm rainy spring, from damp and short spring to dry summer, from warm autumn to winter. Winters are very changeable, frequent light frosts and frosts are very often followed by intensive and long thaws. The average temperature in July is +30 , in January +3 . It is much colder in mountains and foothills.Uzbekistan is characterized by a large number of sunny hours reaching 2500-3000 hours a year. In average 240-250 days a year are sunny days. The biggest rivers of Uzbekistan are the Sir-Darya (2140 kilometres) and Amu-Darya (1400 kilometres). There are many other smaller rivers, lakes and big man-made reservoirs. Rivers and their tributaries offer all necessary facilities for fishing and aquatic sports. According to the types of landscape the republic is divided into the following: mountains (9 per cent of the territory), foothills (12 per cent), desert-steppe zone (5 per cent), deserts (60 per cent), irrigated oases (14 per cent). In the North-West of Uzbekistan stretch the Turan Lowland and the Ustyurt desert plateau turning into the Aral Sea; in the South-East are the mountain ranges of the Tien-Shan and the Altai; the South-West of the republic (the right banks of rivers and the Amu-Darya) are occupied by the Kizil-Kum desert; in the East is situated the Ferghana valley surrounded by mountain ranges. The western Tian-Shan consists of spurs of Chatkal (3500 m), Kuramin (2500m) and Korjantan mountain ranges which are broken up by valleys of the Akhangaran and Chirchik rivers.

The valleys of these rivers are very picturesque. Walnut trees, hawthorns and different ornamental trees grow in groves of those valleys. At a height of 1500 m. a permanent snow cover lies from early December till late March which promotes the development of winter sports. Thus, a base of mountain-skying sport and a tourist complex serving the residents and guests of Tashkent were built in Chimgan. In the Central Part of the country, between the Sanzar and Zaamin rivers the Zaamin park occupying the area of 44,2 thousand hectares is located. The natural conditions of this place are unique and favourable for the construction of recreation zones, tourist centres and the development of winter sports. The total area of national parks, forest and plant reserves is 1 million hectares. The territory of forests is 1,6 million hectares. Basic irrigated lands of the republic lie in the Tashkent oasis, Hungry and Jizak steppes, Ferghana valley, Zarafshon, Kashka-Darya and Surkhan-Darya oases. 32 deposits of medicinal subterranean mineral waters of different balneological groups have been explored on the territory of Uzbekistan. Of great interest are the caves in the South and North of the republic. The caves consist of narrow passages leading to big underground halls, with lakes in their centres. On the walls of some caves we can see and find rock paintings and carving on stones - dumb witnesses of the life of men in the past. The vegetable kingdom of Uzbekistan is very diverse and rich. Over 3000 kinds of wild plants grow here, 250 of which are found only in the republic. 57 species of reptiles, 2 species of amphibias, 91 species of mammals and over 400 species of birds are found in Uzbekistan. Thus the characteristic features of Uzbekistan which lies in the middle of a large Euro-Asian continent are the combination of fertile irrigated lowlands and deserts, green foothills and snow-capped peaks, mountain rivers, numerous lakes and man-made reservoirs as well as many other bright and contrasting landscapes which cannot but arouse the admiration of travellers.