WATER RESOURCES OF CENTRAL ASIA: SPECIFICS OF WATER SUPPLY OF UPSTREAM COUNTRIES AND WITH WATER DEFICIT

The article examines the problems of water supply in the Central Asian region, which in the last decade have assumed an existential character and become an instrument of geo-economic influence. The basic factor of economic security in Central Asian countries is the availability of water resources, which form the potential for economic growth and security in the context of a demographic boom. The complexity of the water supply situation for the countries of the region lies in the uneven access to water resources, due to geography and extremely low water consumption culture. The economic development strategies of all Central Asian countries, without exception, do not provide for measures to optimize the use of water resources, which is dictated by a low level of technology and extensive approaches to expanding production by involving natural resources in the economic turnover. The lack of comprehensive planning of economic development without taking into account the geographical, climatic and anthropological features of water use in the region necessitates a comprehensive study of this issue in the economic context.

The article examines the subjective and objective factors that determine the current situation of access to water sources for the countries of the upper and lower reaches of transboundary rivers feeding the region, the problems of water availability and sharing of water resources of transboundary rivers, which are due to the high hydrological dependence between the countries of the region is characterized not only by a large number of participants, but also by the uneven distribution of water resources.

Central Asia remains a region with one of the highest levels of water availability on a global scale. It is proved that inefficient use of water, the lack of modern technologies, the need to constantly increase food and industrial production to provide for a rapidly growing population, as well as the deterioration of irrigation facilities and water-saving systems create an acute shortage of water.

It is also proved that the problem of water scarcity lies more in the organization of use, rather than the sufficiency of water, which creates conflict between the countries of the upper and lower reaches of transboundary rivers.

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