A Disappearing Lake (between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan)
🌍 The Aral Sea – A Disappearing Lake
📍 Location: Central Asia (between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan)
🕰️ Timeframe: Shrinking since the 1960s
Before
The Aral Sea was once the 4th largest lake in the world, covering 68,000 square kilometers. It supported fishing, wildlife, and nearby communities.
After
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Over 90% of the water is gone.
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The sea has split into small lakes—some parts are now dry desert.
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Wind blows toxic dust from the exposed lakebed.
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Fishing towns are now far from the shoreline, left abandoned.
Cause
In the 1960s, the Soviet Union diverted rivers to irrigate cotton farms in the desert. This stopped water from reaching the Aral Sea, causing it to shrink.
Today
The Aral Sea is one of the world’s biggest environmental disasters. Some areas are being restored, but most of the sea is gone.
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