The Aral Sea

The Aral Sea is one of the most ancient lakes on earth, with a history of … years. It was also the … largest lake in the world until the late … . It is dying now. The sea has dropped by … metres and the water has become too salty. There are now … … hectares of land which were once covered by water. The climate has been affected and changed this land into desert. The ecological catastrophe led to the growth of sickness rate, dangerous demographic situation, unemployment and poverty of the people living in this area.

The Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers feed the Aral Sea. They travel through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

In the … new irrigation technologies were introduced and larger – scale cotton cultivation was begun. Water from the rivers was diverted for agricultural and population needs. Since the … the Aral Sea has lost almost 75 per cent of volume, and has shrunk to … per cent of its size. In some dry years in the … no water flowed into the sea at all. The water has become over – salty and lost more most of its natural plant and animal life.

In … a special Kazakhstan commission composed the most prominent scientists was set up.

National geographical summed up the situation best by saying: “It has never happened within the time frame of a single generation, the disappearance of such a large body of water.”

Exercise2. Answer the questions:

1. What are the main reasons of changes in lake size?

2. Which rivers flow into the Aral Sea?

3. Why are the some species of flora and fauna on the brink of extinction?

4. Is there a measure to prevent the furthest decrease of water in it?

5. What do the following numbers mean: 3.500 years, 16 metres, three million hectares, 1920s, 1960s, 75 per cent?

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