Editing Central Asia (section)

== Geography ==
[[File: Bringing the sheep home, on the southern shore of Issy-Kol. (3968109583).jpg|thumb|On the south shore of Issyk Kul lake, [[Issyk Kul Region]]]]
Central Asia is a region of varied geography, including high passes and [[mountain ranges|mountains]] ([[Tian Shan]]), vast [[desert]]s ([[Kyzyl Kum]], [[Taklamakan]]), and especially treeless, grassy [[steppe]]s. The vast steppe areas of Central Asia are considered together with the steppes of [[Eastern Europe]] as a homogeneous geographical zone known as the [[Eurasian Steppe]].

Much of the land of Central Asia is too dry or too rugged for farming. The [[Gobi Desert]] extends from the foot of the [[Pamirs]], 77°{{nbs}}E, to the [[Great Khingan]] (Da Hinggan) Mountains, 116°–118°{{nbs}}E.
[[File:Kazakhstan steppe Zhambyl Province (8).jpg|thumb|The [[Eurasian Steppe]] in Kazakhstan has a [[semi-arid]], [[Continentality|continental]] climate]]
Central Asia has the following geographic extremes:
* The world's northernmost [[desert]] ([[sand dunes]]), at Buurug Deliin Els, [[Mongolia]], 50°18'{{nbs}}N.
* The [[Northern Hemisphere]]'s southernmost [[permafrost]], at [[Erdenetsogt]] sum, [[Mongolia]], 46°17'{{nbs}}N.
* The world's shortest distance between non-frozen [[desert]] and [[permafrost]]: {{convert|770|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* The Eurasian [[pole of inaccessibility]].

A majority of the people earn a living by herding livestock. Industrial activity centers in the region's cities.

Major rivers of the region include the [[Amu Darya]], the [[Syr Darya]], [[Irtysh]], the [[Hari River, Afghanistan|Hari River]] and the [[Murghab River]]. Major bodies of water include the [[Aral Sea]] and [[Lake Balkhash]], both of which are part of the huge west-central Asian [[endorheic]] basin that also includes the [[Caspian Sea]].

Both of these bodies of water have shrunk significantly in recent decades due to the diversion of water from rivers that feed them for irrigation and industrial purposes. Water is an extremely valuable resource in arid Central Asia and can lead to rather significant international disputes.

{{wide image|Zentralasien topo.png|750px|Topographic map of Central Asia.}}
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