Central Asia

     Central Asia consists of a number of vast tablelands and uplands surrounded by mountains.
In the west tower the Pamirs, a lofty and almost impassable mountain system («pamir»=roof of the world). The eastern part of the Pamirs contain flat and wide valleys situated about 4,000 metres above sea level. Above these rise peaks, reaching another 1,000— 1,500 metres.

Fig. 74. The Tien Shan Mountains. Tall and slender Tien Shan firs grow on the slopes.

The western part of the Pamirs consists of a series of high ranges with sharp crests, lofty peaks, abrupt slopes and enor­mous glaciers. Here is found the highest peak of the Soviet Union, Peak Communism (about 7,500 metres).
From the Pamirs, as from a great mountain knot, branch off other ranges in all directions. To the north of the Pamirs stretch the Tien Shan ranges in a west-eastern direction. Their highest point is Peak Victory (almost 7,500 metres). Tien Shan means 'ce­lestial mountains'. Their tops are covered with snow that never melts. Powerful glaciers, much larger than those of the Alps, move slowly down the. slopes to the valleys.
Eastward of the Pamirs extend the Kun1un mountain ranges, many of their peaks reaching over 7,000 metres. Their slopes are almost everywhere covered with perennial snow.
The Kunlun ranges divide Central Asia into two parts, Tibet forming the southern, higher part, and the Gobi Plateau forming the eastern region of the northern, lower part.

Fig. 75. Chomolungma, the loftiest peak of the Himalayas (8,848 metres). The slopes are covered with perennial snow, only the steep rocks remaining bare. Between the mountains is a glacier. Beneath the summit is a strip of clouds.

This extensive plateau reaches an elevation of 1,500 metres and is crossed by ranges in several places. It contains almost no rivers, but there are a number of salt lakes in the lower areas. The surface in many places is covered with sand, pebbles, broken rock and other products of erosion.
Tibet is the largest and highest plateau in the world, the ave­rage altitude being 4,500 metres. The air pressure here is about half that at sea level. It is very difficult for people unaccustomed to the rare air to live here.
This was once a very high and mountainous region. In the course of ages the mountains were gradually made smaller by denudation and the spaces in between were filled with products of erosion: stones, pebbles, etc.
In its western part the Tibetan Plateau is comparatively flat. In the east, however, it is crossed by a number of ranges.
In a lofty wall along the southern edge of Tibet rise the Himalayas, stretching southward in an arc 2,500 kms. long. Steep, jagged peaks succeed one another, towering high above the clouds, their white, snowy summits glittering blindingly in the sun. Huge glaciers and rapid rivers descend the slopes. There are

over 500 peaks in the Himalayas higher than Mont Blanc, the high­est peak of the Alps. The loftiest peak, not only of the Himalayas but of the entire world, is Chomolungma (Mount Everest), almost 9,000 metres high (Fig. 75). Many a time did expeditions from various countries try to climb Chomolungma, but their attempts ended in failure and sometimes in the death of the participants.
Only in recent years have several expeditions succeeded in reach­ing the top of this highest of all mountains.
Przhevalsky's Journeys in Central Asia. In the second half of the 19th century Central Asia was explored by the famous Russian traveller, Nikolai Mikhailovitch Przhevalsky.

Fig. 76. The routes of  Przhevalsky's journeys through Asia.

Przhevalsky was still a young man when he became interested in travelling, and he showed great resolution in preparing for the coming hardships. He studied geography, botany and zoology di­ligently. Przhevalsky undertook his first journey within the bounda­ries of Russia, to the practically unexplored region along the coast of the Sea of Japan. Here he studied and later described the natural features of the country and the life of its people. Later he received the chance to undertake a new journey—to the far regions of Central Asia.
Przhevalsky made four journeys to Central Asia, across Gobi and Tibet, regions practically unexplored before (Fig. 76). He covered almost 30,000 kilometres on foot, horseback and by camel, surveying the places he passed and putting them down on the map. This was the first precise map in history of these regions. He determined the latitudes and longitudes, measured the heights of the mountains and plateaus, made systematic weather observa­tions, made collections of mountain rocks, plants and animals. Przhevalsky's works revolutionized man's knowledge of Central Asia. He discovered new mountain ranges, explored many lakes and the upper reaches of the great Asiatic rivers, the Hwang Ho and Yangtze. He found wild horses and two-humped camels in the step­pes and deserts of Central Asia. This species of wild horse has since been called Przhevalsky's horse'.
Przhevalsky and his comrades had to overcome many difficulties in the course of their journeys: they crossed waterless deserts and lofty, snow-capped mountains, they suffered from heat and cold. Many a time their lives were in danger.
Przhevalsky set out on a fifth journey across Central Asia, but at the very beginning he fell ill and died. He was buried on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in the Tien Shan Mountains.
Przhevalsky's journeys were performed in the name of science and for the glory of his motherland. His great feats have made his name famous, not only in the Soviet Union, but far beyond its bor­ders.

Questions and Assignments.

• Put down on the outline map the names of the mountains,
  plateaus and uplands of Central Asia.
• What regions of Asia were explored by N. M. Przhevalsky?