The genesis of the soil forming rocks in Uzbekistan is very varied. This, combined with the complexity of the litological structure of the soils, the different hydro-geological conditions, an arid continental climate and the vegetation has led to the formation of many different soils. In Uzbekistan, the soils are of high-altitude belts and desert zones.
Table A.1
Types and subtypes of soil in Uzbekistan
Soil |
'000 ha |
Percentage |
Light-brown, meadow desert, high mountain |
54 |
1.2 |
Brown and dark brown, mountain-wood, middle mountain |
166 |
3.7 |
Dark sierozem |
105 |
2.4 |
Typical sierozem |
305 |
6.8 |
Light sierozem |
259 |
5.8 |
Meadow-sierozem and sierozem-meadow |
780 |
1.8 |
Meadow of sierozem belt |
67 |
1.5 |
Marshy-meadow sierozem |
7 |
0.2 |
Sub-total |
1 041 |
23.4 |
Grey - brown |
1 103 |
24.8 |
Desert sandy |
137 |
3.1 |
Dry lands |
178 |
4.0 |
Meadow and dry-meadow |
46 |
1.0 |
Desert zone meadow |
179 |
4.1 |
Desert zone marshy meadow |
5 |
0.1 |
Saline, alkali soils |
127 |
2.9 |
Sand |
1210 |
27.2 |
Others land (rocks, wetland etc.) |
416 |
9.4 |
Sub-total |
3 402 |
76.6 |
All land |
4 442 |
100 |
Source: National Report SCLR, 2002.
Table A.2
Types of soils in rainfed agricultural areas in Uzbekistan
Zones & soil types |
Total area '000 ha |
Percent of total |
Typical annual rainfall (mm) |
Totally rainfed |
|||
Brown, leached soils |
318 |
9 |
500 to 900 |
Dark sierozems |
145 |
4 |
350 to 500 |
Well drained, dark sierozems |
507 |
15 |
350 to 500 |
Total |
970 |
28 |
|
Partially dry |
|||
Typical sierozems |
793 |
23 |
280 to 350 |
Well drained, typical sierozems |
816 |
24 |
280 to 350 |
Total |
1 609 |
47 |
|
Wholly dry |
|||
Light sierozems |
836 |
25 |
280 to 350 |
Total rainfed |
3 415 |
100 |
|
Table A.3
Types of soils in irrigated agricultural areas in Uzbekistan, lower* and middle**
reaches
Soil type |
Lower reaches |
Middle reaches |
||
'000 ha |
Percent |
'000 ha |
Percent |
|
Takir and grey |
110 |
7 |
216 |
18 |
Light sierozem |
275 |
18 |
245 |
21 |
Typical sierozem |
30 |
2 |
251 |
21 |
Dark sierozem |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Grey meadow |
208 |
14 |
52 |
4 |
Old irrigated meadow |
427 |
28 |
231 |
19 |
Meadow and marsh |
15 |
1 |
119 |
10 |
Marsh alluvium |
461 |
30 |
74 |
6 |
Total |
1 526 |
100 |
1 188 |
100 |
*- Karakalpakstan Republic, Khorezm, part of Bukhara and Navoiy regions (oblasts) are in the lower reaches.
**- Samarkand, Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya and Jizzak regions are in the middle reaches.
Table A.4
Types of soils in irrigated agricultural areas in Uzbekistan, upper reaches*
Soil type |
Upper reaches |
Upper reaches |
'000 ha |
Percent |
|
Takir and grey |
0 |
0 |
Light sierozem |
191 |
16 |
Typical sierozem |
362 |
30 |
Dark sierozem |
32 |
3 |
Grey meadow |
7 |
1 |
Old irrigated meadow |
0 |
0 |
Meadow and marsh |
393 |
33 |
Marsh alluvium |
217 |
18 |
Total |
1 202 |
100 |
*- Tashkent and other regions are in the upper reaches.