Water Unites

Transboundary waters
in the six states of the Aral Sea basin
While the region of Central Asia as a whole is affected by water overconsumption and
pollution, consequences are specific for each country. The individual states are differently
endowed with water and with other resources, so that the specific role water plays is
different-depending on their upstream or downstream location, major water use interests
and pollution problems. The specific country characteristics and interests have to
be taken into account when approaching regional water problems in Central Asia. After
the end of the Soviet Union, water usage became subordinate to a new regional situation
with new national interests. These national interests will be described in the next chapter.
i
Water availability and usage per country
Kazakh -
s tan
Afghanistan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbe ki -
stan
Internal freshwater
resources per capita
(m³/person) (2007)
1 705
5 095
8 624
9 992
273
597
Total freshwater
resources per capita
(m³/person) (2007)
2 015
7 405
3 821
2 392
4 979
1 842
Agricultural water
use (% of total water
withdrawal) (2007)
98%
82%
94%
92%
98%
93%
Total area
of irrigated land
3.2 mln ha
2.3 mln ha
1 mln ha
719 200 ha
1.1 mln ha
4.4 mln ha
Irrigated land
(% total cropland)
5.8%
15.7%
75%
84%
100%
89%
Share of irrigated
area affected
by salinization
n.d.
>33%
11.5%
16%
95.5%
50%
Share of agriculture
in GDP
(2009)
29 % (2008)
6%
39 % (2008)
22 %
20%
12%
Electricity production
from hydroelectric
sources (kWh) (2008)
n.d.
7.5 bln
10.7 bln
15.8 bln
3 mln
11.4 bln
Electricity production
from hydroelectric
sources (% of total) (2008)
n.d.
9%
90%
98%
0%
23%
Transboundary waters in the six states of the Aral Sea
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