Kyzyl Kum

Kyzyl Kum, or Kizil Kum, sandy desert of Central Asia, lying southeast of the Aral Sea and covering about 88,000 sq mi (228,000 sq km) of southern Kazakhstan and northern Uzbekistan between the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. Some parts have been irrigated for crop growing (cotton, rice, and wheat), and the area has significant deposits of gold.