Biodiversity in Central Asia
Fetisovo Elevation in metres
Chimboy
Kunya-Urgench Mangit Sarygamysh Boldumsaz Lake Dashoguz Urganch
Karabogazgol
Xiva
Bereket
K
Gonbad-e Kavus
p
e
Nisa
t
Bojnurd
R
a
Sabzevar
A
N
K a v i r
Protected areas in Turkmenistan
Am
Ashgabat D
g
Neyshabur
Torbat-e Heydariyeh
Shahrisabz
Turkmenabat
Merv Tejen
Kaka
Mary
Yoloten
Mashad Sarakhs
uD
Karaku m Canal
Torbat-e Jam Tayyebad Ghurian
Dushanbe Shorchi
Kerkichi
Sherobod
Qurghonteppa
Balkh Sar-e Pol
Tagtabazar
Hari Rud
Mazar-e Sharif
Meymaneh
A Serhetabad Qaleh-ye Now Herat
Panjkent
Qarshi
ary a
F G H A N I S T A N
Chaghcharan
Protected areas
UNESCO natural world heritage
Tentative UNESCO natural world heritage
RAMSAR sites (Convention on wetlands of international importance especially as waterfowl habitat)
UNESCO cultural world heritage
Tentative UNESCO cultural world heritage
Most of Turkmenistan (80%) consists of sandy desert, although in the south the mountains of Kopet Dag and Kugitang lie along the Iranian, Afghan and Uzbek borders. Turkmenistan’s deserts are dominated by xerophytic shrubs and salt-tolerant species. Other ecosystems are riparian wetlands, mountain forests and the Caspian Sea. Turkmenistan has many close relatives of domestic food plants, including wild pomegranate, grape, fig, apple, pear, cherries, plum, almond and melon. Central Asia and Global Biodiversity
Khujand
Termiz
Sarahs Tejen
D a s h t - e
o
D e s Great Turkme n Collecto Baharly r
Quchan
Emamrud
I
Zara fs h a n Bukhara Samarkand
K a r a k u m e r t
Serdar
Gulistan Jizzax
Murgab
Gorgan
Sari
Semnan
Aydar Lake Nurota
T U R K M E N I S T A N
Magtymguly
Bandar-e Torkeman
Tashkent
U Z B E K I S T A N
Navoiy
ek Atr
Esenguly
Shymkent
Zarafshon
Pitnak
Balkanabat
Hazar
KAZAKHSTAN
D e s e r t Uchquduq
Golden Age Lake (under construction)
Turkmenbashy
26
K y z y l k u m
Nukus
2000 1000 500 200 100
Amol
Turkestan
K A Z A K H S T A N
Turkmenistan’s eight strict nature reserves cover more than 784,000 ha and include a range of ecosystems. Besides the strict reserves, there are 14 species management areas and 17 nature monuments. The country’s first national park is in the process of establishment. One of the famous nature monuments in the Kugitang mountains has 2,000 fossilized dinosaur footprints.