Historical Roots of the Aral Sea Desiccation: Consequences of Soviet Irrigation Policy (1950–1991)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17605/cajssh.v7i3.1347Keywords:
Aral Sea, Ecological Disaster, Soviet Irrigation Policy, Cotton Monoculture, Water Resources, Environmental History, Central AsiaAbstract
This article analyzes the historical causes of the Aral Sea desiccation using the IMRAD methodology. The study covers the period from 1950 to 1991. Soviet irrigation policy, cotton monoculture and irrational water resource allocation are examined as the main causes of the disaster. The findings demonstrate that this catastrophe is a direct consequence of deliberate political and economic decisions rather than natural processes.
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