evidence: The Republic of Tajikistan is a landlocked country lying between latitudes 36°40'N to 41°05'N and longitudes 67°31'E to 75°14'E with an area of 143,000 kilometers square (km2). Tajikistan shares borders with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the north and west, China to the east, and Afghanistan to the south. Mountains occupy about 93% of the terrain, with altitudes ranging from 300 meters (m) to 7,000 m. Nearly 50% of Tajikistan's territory is at least 3,000 m above sea-level, with approximately 1,300 lakes, and the two principal rivers of Central Asia, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, both flow through the country. Glaciers, snowmelt and permafrost are important sources of water recharging the Aral Sea river basin. Geographically, Tajikistan is divided into four zones: Northern Tajikistan, Southern Tajikistan, Central Tajikistan, and the Pamirs. The western part of the country is occupied by foothills and steppes; lowland areas are found along river valleys in southwestern Tajikistan. The Pamir mountains in the east are sparsely populated, with extremely cold winters, considerable snow cover, and short summers. Tajikistan’s population and agricultural activities are concentrated in the valleys and in the western part of the country.