Syrdarya region is a matter of pride for each representative of the Uzbek people. This is a prime example of what can change human tenacity and perseverance.
Syrdarya region, Uzbekistan: general information
According to the existing administrative-territorial structure, Uzbekistan is divided into twelve regions and one autonomous republic. Syrdarya region is one of them. It is quite small in area. Only 770 thousand people live here (that is, in no more than one Russian Saratov). The administrative center and largest city of the region is Gulistan.
The Syrdarya region is located in the eastern part of the country, in the Syrdarya river basin . Most of it is occupied by the so-called Hungry Steppe - an anhydrous and sparsely populated desert with an area of 10 thousand square meters. km The region itself covers an area of 5100 square kilometers. At the same time, it borders with two other Central Asian states - Kazakhstan in the north and Tajikistan in the south.
Natural conditions within the region are not very favorable for human life. The climate is hot, sharply continental and arid. The average annual rainfall ranges from 130 to 600 mm in the foothills. Summer dry winds and dust storms are common in the area. In the summer, they very often lead to damage to crops.
History of the region
It is not surprising that these lands have long been considered absolutely unsuitable for any kind of agriculture. However, everything changed in the second half of the last century, when the USSR Secretary General Nikita Khrushchev headed for the total development of Soviet virgin lands. The history of this entire period in the life of the inhabitants of the region is the history of continuous labor exploits, generously described in poems, stories and paintings.
The agronomists, who took the liberty of conquering the Uzbek steppe, faced two serious problems: too high a level of occurrence of groundwater and too high salt content in the soil. Therefore, the main task was to create a unique and well-designed irrigation system.
In Soviet times, a number of water economic facilities were built in the region that helped solve these two problems. However, efforts to curb virgin lands did not stop during the years of independence of Uzbekistan. So, in 2008, the Syrdarya region began to actively introduce technologies to improve the condition of the land, widely used in Germany and the USA. Thus, over fifty years the region has turned from a barren desert into a fairly powerful agricultural region.
Economy and cities of Syrdarya region
Do not think that the economy of this region is limited only by the agro-industrial complex. The region has developed light industry, as well as the production of building materials. It operates Syrdarya State District Power Plant, which provides a third of the country's electricity. Feeling firm ground and small business.
In 2013, a special industrial zone “Jizzakh” was created in the region with special game rules for foreign investors. So, an investor who has invested more than 300 thousand dollars in its development is exempted from paying taxes for three, five or seven years (depending on the volume of investments). So far, the largest interest in this territory is shown by Chinese companies. In the press, the Jizzakh zone has already been dubbed the “Silicon Valley” of Uzbekistan.
Agriculture still remains the main sector of the economy of this region. Syrdarya region continues to maintain leadership in the country in the production of wheat, melons and gourds. Famous melons grown in local fields are exported to 40 countries of the world! In the near future, the region plans to build a factory that will produce alcohol, jam, tomato juice and ketchup.
Within the region today there are eight cities:
- Gulistan.
- Syr Darya.
- Width
- Navruz.
- Baht.
- Hawast.
- Yangier.
- Pakhtaabad.
Gulistan - the "capital" of the region
Gulistan is the administrative center and largest city of the Syr Darya region, located on the Tashkent-Havast railway line. Translated from the Persian language, the name of the city sounds very romantic - “rose garden”. Today, about 70 thousand people live here (a tenth of the region’s inhabitants). The city was founded in the 19th century. Before laying the railway in this area, Gulistan was a small settlement with a mosque and a teahouse. In 1952, he received the status of a village, and in 1963 became the center of the recreated Syrdarya region.
The city’s economy is represented by a homebuilding, oil extraction and repair plant. There is also a sewing factory and a number of small food industries. There is a musical drama theater.
In general, Gulistan looks like a well-groomed and neat city. However, a tourist in it is unlikely to find anything interesting for itself. True, there is one interesting, if not unique, attraction - the local Nikolskaya Church. In appearance, it is completely unprepossessing, but it strikes the year of its construction - 1957th (in the era of active struggle of the Soviet government with "opium for the people"). There are only a few such temples in the post-Soviet space.
City of Syr Darya
Syr Darya is the second largest city in the region, located ten kilometers from the river of the same name. By age, he is very young: the Syr Darya was founded only in 1971. Today, about 30 thousand people live in the city. Syrdarya is an important industrial center of the region. Light industry and agriculture are developed here. There are several chemical factories that are developing fisheries (due to their proximity to the river). The Syr Darya is known for its fairly strong athletes. Representatives of the city have repeatedly achieved significant success in national and international competitions in such sports as taekwondo, handball and athletics.