Farmers raise livestock in the plains and in irrigated desert areas. Uzbekistan's most densely populated region is the Fergana Valley, in the east. The valley receives its water from mountains of the Tian Shan range that surround it. Central Asia's two most important rivers, the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, flow to the Aral Sea from the Tian Shan and Pamir mountains. Summers in Uzbekistan are long, dry, and hot.
Winters are cold.
Most of Uzbekistan's economy is indirectly controlled by the government. Although many farms and small businesses are privately owned, the government controls much of the supply of raw materials and transportation. The government also regulates much of the marketing of goods, particularly exports. Cotton is the chief agricultural product. Wool from the karakul, a breed of sheep raised in Uzbekistan, is highly prized for coats.