The Earth and Its Inhabitants/Asia/Volume 1

by Élisée Reclus

A   S   I   A   .

by

ÉLISÉE RECLUS.

edited by

E. G. RAVENSTEIN, F.R.G.S., F.S.S., Etc.,

and

A. H. KEANE, B. A.,
memb. of council, anthropological institute.

VOL. I.

ASIATIC RUSSIA:
CAUCASIA, ARALO-CASPIAN BASIN, SIBERIA.

ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS AND MAPS.

CONTENTS.

 

ASIATIC RUSSIA.

			page
Chap. I.	General Remarks on Asia		1
		Plateaux: Highlands and Lowlands, p. 3. Geological Formation: Igneous Forces, p. 6. Climate: Diminution of Moisture, p. 8. Areas of Inland Drainage, p. 9. Rivers flowing Seawards, p. 12. Temperature, Rainfall, Vegetation, p. 14. Peninsulas, p. 15. Inhabitants, Culture, p. 18. Religions, p. 21. Historical Retrospect, Migrations, p. 23. European Influences, p. 24. Progress of Discovery, p. 25. Political Rivalries, p. 28.
Chap. II.	Caucasia		33
		I. Caucasia: The Ponto-Caspian Mountain System, p. 33. The Great Caucasus, p. 34. Geological Formation, Volcanic Action, p. 38. Water Systems, Snow-line, Rainfall, Glaciers, p. 40. Vegetation, Fauna, p. 43. Inhabitants: Varied Ethnical and Linguistic Elements, p. 46. Russian Conquests: Main Physical Divisions, p. 48. II. Western Caucasia: Kuban Basin, p. 50. River Systems: Kuban Basin, p. 50. Taman Peninsula, p. 53. Inhabitants: the Cherkesses, p. 54. The Abkhasians and Cossacks, p. 57. Topography, p. 60. III. Central Caucasus: Kuma and Terek Basins, p. 64. River Systems: Kuma Basin, p. 65. The Terek, p. 68. Inhabitants: the Kabards, p. 70. The Osses and Nogai Tatars, p. 71. Topography, p. 73. IV. Eastern Caucasia: Daghestan, p. 78. River Systems, p. 79. Inhabitants: the Chechenzes, p. 79. The Lezghians, Tats, and Tatars, p. 83. Topography, p. 86. V. Inoúk, Rion, and Chorukh Basins: Mingrelia, Imeritia, Svania, Lazistan, p. 88. The Climate, Flora and Fauna, p. 91. Inhabitants: the Svans and Raebians, p. 92. Imeritians, Mingrelians, and Lazes, p. 94. Topography, p. 96. VI. The Kura Basin: Georgia, Transcaucasian Tatary, p. 100. River Systems: the Kura, p. 100. Agriculture, Irrigation Works, Climate, p. 104. Lower Kura Basin: Apsheron Peninsula, p. 106. Inhabitants: the Georgians, p. 111. The Khevsurs, Pshavs, and Tûshes, p. 116. The Tatars, Talishes, Slavs, and Germans, p. 119. Topography, p. 120. VII. Russian Armenia: Ararat, Ala-göz, Plateau of Lake Gok-chai, and Araxis Basin, p. 130. Orography: Ararat, Ala-göz, p. 130. Lake Gok-chai, the Karabagh, Flora and Fauna, p. 136. The Araxis Basin, p. 139. Inhabitants: the Armenians, p. 140. Topography, p. 145. VIII. General Condition and Administration of the Caucasus, p. 150. Land Tenure, Agriculture, p. 152. Population, Industries, Trade, Education, p. 154. Religions, Finance, Administration, p. 158.
Chap. III.	The Aralo-Caspian Basin: Russian Turkestan, the Turkoman Country, Khiva, Bokhara, Region of the Upper Oxus		161
		I. General Survey, p. 164. II. The Pamir and Alaī, p. 165. Flora, Fauna, Lakes of the Pamir, p. 170. The Alai Highland, p. 171. III. The Tian-shan, p. 175. Orographic System, p. 176. Katûn and Yulduz Highlands, p. 179. Semirechinsk Region, p. 182. Alatau Highland, p. 183. Lake Issîk-kul and Western Tian-shan Highlands, p. 184. IV. Tarbagatai Highlands and Balkhash Basin, p. 189. Lake Balkhash, p. 191. Semirechinsk River System: the Ili, p. 192. V. The Aralo-Caspian Hydrographic System, p. 193. The Turkestan Deserts, p. 194. Flora and Fauna of Turkestan, p. 195. Water System: the Sir, p. 198. The Oxus River System, p 201. The Aral Sea, p. 208. The Turkoman Deserts and LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.     MAPS PRINTED IN COLOURS. —————— PLATES. ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT.