South Aral Sea, Uzbekistan

Thirty years ago the Aral Sea was the fourth-largest lake in the world. Since then, the diversion of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers for crop irrigation has shrunk the Aral to 10% of its original size. Now the Aral is divided between the North and South Aral Seas. In the north, Kazakhstan has saved the Aral by building a series of dykes. Yet, in the south, Uzbekistan has abandoned the Aral to its fate. One of the main reasons is the presence of oil and gas on the former Aral seabed, which prompted its exploitation in 2010.