Latest / The Story of Uzbekistan: Silk Road Kingdoms and Soviet Legacy — Fexingo History
The Karakum Canal: Water Diversion That Doomed the Aral Sea
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the controversial history of the Karakum Canal, one of the largest irrigation projects of the Soviet era. Stretching over 1,400 kilometers across Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, the canal diverted water from the Amu Darya River to transform the desert into cotton fields. But it also starved the Aral Sea of its lifeblood, triggering an ecological catastrophe that still unfolds today. The discussion covers the canal's construction beginning in 1954, the role of Soviet planners and local officials, the short-term agricultural boom, and the long-term…
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