Garabil Plateau
Situated mainly in southeastern Turkmenistan, the Garabil (also spelled Karabil) plateau is a geological curiosity whose deposits of rock salt are among the largest in the world. The plateau marks the end of the sandy Turkmen Karakum Desert, between the Murgab and Amu Dar'ya Rivers. This area represents the foothills of the Paropamisus Mountains, part of the Hindu Kush, located in northern Afghanistan.
The plateau is rather low (only 832 meters at its highest point) and is semidesert; it is highly eroded, with large ancient valleys and basins. The region is known for its great variations in temperature and its rare precipitation. Savanna and groves of wild pistachio are the most common vegetation. However, the ecoregion has a wealth of plant and animal life, with more than 1,100 species of vascular plants (ferns) and a variety of birds, reptiles, urials (wild sheep), onagers, and gazelles.
Mainly used for pastures and for a little agriculture, the Garabil plateau is also of great economic importance because of large deposits of rock salts, estimated at 4 billion tons. Since Turkmenistan's independence, these deposits have begun to be cataloged and exploited.
Further Reading
Ovezov, Balych. (1960) Le Turkménistan, pays de "l'or blanc." Paris: Éditions Études soviétiques.
United Nations Development Programme. (1999) Animals. Vol. 1 of The Red Data Book of Turkmenistan. Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan: United Nations Development Programme.
——. (1999) Plants. Vol. 2 of The Red Data Book of Turkmenistan. Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan: United Nations Development Programme.
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