| Fergana Valley | |
|---|---|
 Fergana Valley (highlighted), post-1991 national territories colour-coded. | |
| Length | 300 km (190 mi) |
| Area | 22,000 km2 (8,500 sq mi) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan |
| Coordinates | 40°54′03″N 71°45′28″E / 40.9008°N 71.7578°E |
| Rivers | Syr Darya river (Naryn and Kara Darya) |
Fergana Valley is a valley in Central Asia, lying mostly in eastern Uzbekistan, extending into southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan.
Encompassing three former Soviet Republics, the valley is ethnically diverse and relations among the countries are tense. Ethnic enclaves of Uzbeks in Kyrgyz sovereign territory, restricted right of movement, lack of agreement about border demarcation and disputes over access to family members and places of economic activity contribute to tension at the borders.[1]
Located in an arid region, the Fergana valley owes its fertility to two rivers, the Naryn and the Kara Darya, which run from the east, joining near Namangan, forming the Syr Darya river. The valley's history stretches back over 2,300 years, when Alexander the Great founded Alexandria Eschate at its southwestern end.
Chinese chroniclers date its towns to more than 2,100 years ago, as a path between Greek, Chinese, Bactrian and Parthian civilisations. It was home to Babur, founder of the Mughal dynasty, tying the region to modern Afghanistan and South Asia. The Russian Empire conquered the valley at the end of the 19th century, and it became part of the Soviet Union in the 1920s. Its three Soviet republics gained independence in 1991. The area largely remains Muslim, populated by ethnic Uzbek, Tajik and Kyrgyz people, often intermixed and not matching modern borders. Historically there have also been substantial numbers of Russian, Kashgarian, Kipchak, Bukharan Jewish and Romani minorities.
The economy centers around extensive cotton cultivation, a practice initiated by the Soviets, complemented by a diverse array of grains, fruits, and vegetables. Additionally, the region has a rich heritage in stock breeding, leatherwork, and a progressively expanding mining industry, including deposits of coal, iron, sulfur, gypsum, rock-salt, naphtha and some small known oil reserves.[citation needed]
- ^ Laurelle, Marlene (2015). Globalizing Central Asia: Geopolitics and the Challenges of Economic Development. p. 126.