1. TAJIKISTAN GENERAL INFORMATION 1 Area 143,1 thous.km2 (93% of total area are mountains) Population 7,2 million (1 January 2008) Climate continental Water resources:surface water – 64 km 3 /year (55,4% of water resources of the Aral Sea Basin) glaciers – 845 km 3, 11146 km 2 lakes – 46,5 km 3, 705 km 2 underground waters – 18,7 km 3 /year (2,8 km 3 - exploitable)

2. THE ARAL SEA BASIN GENERAL INFORMATION 2 Area:1.5 mln. km 2 Population:43,8 mln. (2004) Forming water resources: 115km 3 /year Available water resources:133km 3 /year Irrigated area:8,2 mln.ha Main rivers:Аmu-Darya & Sir-Darya Climate:continental, arid & semiarid

3. 3 Tajikistan with 93% of its territory covered by mountains is constantly affected by more than 20 different types of disasters, including earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, floods and locust invasion. The annual economical losses from the disasters can cause up to 30% of GDP in Tajikistan. The glaciers of Tajikistan have already lost more than 30% of their area due to climate change. The Sarez Lake in Tajikistan threatens more than 6 million people in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Central Asia met one of the greatest disasters of the 20 th century – the Aral Sea crisis.

4. 4 CONFERENCE DECLARATION The main findings and recommendations were included in the Conference Outcome Document – DUSHANBE DECLARATION, adopted by participants.