Abstract: As an important part of arid land in Central Asia, the five countries, i.e., Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are located in the largest arid region in northern hemispheric temperate zone of the terrestrial earth and on northwestern slope of the Pamirs on the west side of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Moreover, these countries are characterized by very fragile ecosystems, but rich in natural resources, especial energy resources. It is necessary for social and economic sustainable development in these countries to reveal the formation and evolution process of ecological and geographical conditions. Since 1989, many international coresearch programs focused on the issues of regional ecological and geographical conditions in arid land of the Asian inland have been conducted. In this paper, a comprehensive review on previous researches was carried out, and the formation and evolution process and basic ecological and geographical features and conditions in the five countries in Central Asia were discussed so as to prompt the harmonious, balanced and rapid development of society and economy in these countries.

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