KyzylKum

Ky·zyl Kum (kĭ-zĭlʹ ko͞omʹ)

A desert of north-central Uzbekistan and south-central Kazakhstan southeast of the Aral Sea between the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya.

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Uzbek Qizilqum Kazakh Qyzylqum

Desert in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Occupying roughly 115,000 sq mi (300,000 sq km), it lies between the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya rivers, southeast of the Aral Sea. Desert plants grow on its sand ridges, serving as pasture for sheep, horses, and camels; there are several small oasis settlements. Its mineral resources include natural gas deposits and gold.

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▪ desert, Central Asia

Uzbek  Qizilqum , Kazak  Qyzylqum> (“Red Sand”) 

 

desert in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It has an area of about 115,000 square miles (about 300,000 square km) and lies between the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya (rivers), southeast of the Aral Sea. It consists of a plain sloping down toward the northwest, with a number of isolated bare mountains rising to 3,025 feet (922 m) and several large enclosed basins. Precipitation, 4–8 inches (100–200 mm) annually, occurs mainly in winter and spring. Mostly covered with sand ridges on which desert plants grow, the desert serves as pasture for Karakul sheep, horses, and camels, and there are several small oasis settlements. Important natural-gas deposits are exploited at Gazli in the southeast, and gold is mined at Muruntow in the centre.

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