Fergana Valley
The Fergana (Farghona, Farghana) Valley, on the Syr Dar'ya River with an area of 22,000 square kilometers (8,494 square miles), is a fertile, densely populated irrigated valley in the southeastern part of Central Asia. As a result of the Soviet demarcation (1924), the Fergana Valley is divided between three Central Asian states—Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The largest portion is in Uzbekistan.
The valley, which is 300 kilometers (186 miles) long and 170 kilometers (106 miles) wide, ranges from 330 to 1,000 meters above sea level. The Tian Shan and Pamir ranges enclose the valley on the north, east, and south. The valley is mainly accessible through the western Khudzhand Pass.
The Fergana Valley, as an important center of Central Asia, was first mentioned by Chinese sources in the fourth century BCE. The ancient Great Silk Road linking China with the Mediterranean crossed the valley and contributed substantially to the valley's prosperity. Islam was introduced in the eighth century. Starting from the late sixteenth century, the Fergana Valley waspart of Bukhara and Kokand khanates (principalities) until it was fully incorporated into Russia in 1876.
The Fergana Valley is irrigated by the Syr Dar'ya River, one of the two major Central Asia streams, and a wide network of canals. The major dams in the Fergana Valley are the Nurek dam (constructed in 1980), which at 300 meters is the tallest dam in the world; the Baypaza dam (1968); the Rogun dam (1983), all in Tajikistan; and the Toktagul dam (1974) in Kyrgyzstan.
The Fergana Valley is the most densely populated area in Central Asia. The average density in the central Andizhan Province of Uzbekistan is 465 inhabitants per square kilometer (1,203 per square mile). It is an important regional center of irrigated agriculture, silk production, and industry.
Further Reading
Allworth, Edward, ed. (1994) Central Asia: 130 Years of Russian Dominance: A Historical Overview. 3d ed. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Lubin, Nancy, and Rubin, Barnett. (1999) Calming the Ferghana Valley: Development and Dialogue in the Heart of Central Asia. New York: The Century Foundation Press.
Roy, Oliver. (2000) The New Central Asia: The Creation of Nations. New York: New York University Press.
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