The Geographical Setting and Physical Environment: A Literature Review

The geographical setting of Central Asia (CA), as its place in the space of Northern Hemisphere, can be described by the inter-relations of the main components and phenomena of physical environment, its geology, relief/geomorphology, climatology, hydrology and biology, not only recent but also of the past. The total area of the Central Asia region with five former Soviet republics (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan) occupies 4,003,451 km2. It extends between 45 and 90° E and 36 and 55° N; the prevailing surface elevation ranges between 0 and 500 m above sea level (asl), with the lowest point at Turpan Depression, –154 m, and the highest Ismoil Somoni Peak at Pamirs, 7495 m. The region is mainly endorheic with small drainage area in the northern part, belonging to Kazakhstan, towards the Arctic Ocean.