Geography
How Watershed Boundaries Define Transboundary Water-Sharing Agreements in Central Asia
Quick fact
The 1992 Almaty Agreement, which divides Central Asia's waters along Soviet-era borders, remains a core framework even though it lacks clear allocation formulas and is increasingly contested as upstream states like Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan build dams.
Why this is interesting
Central Asia's rivers cross multiple national borders, yet the region's water-sharing agreements are surprisingly old and fragile. What happens when a mountain ridge—not a treaty—decides who gets the water?