A young woman walks along rusty train tracks in the Aral Sea region of Kazakhstan. The Aral Sea is one of over 48,000 lakes in Kazakhstan. It is almost dried up as a result of large-scale cultivation...

A dry landscape close to Aralsk, on the northern edge of what used to be the Aral Sea. The drying up of the Aral Sea had a huge environmental and social impact on the region, caused by the large-scale...

Rusting ships resting on the former seabed of the Aral Sea are slowly being dismantled to recycle their steel. Formerly the fourth largest lake in the world with an area of 68,000 km2, the Aral Sea ha...

A boy playing on a rusting ship beached in the former port in the fishing town of Moynaq, near the Aral Sea.

Cows graze on what was once the Aral Sea floor. Formerly the fourth largest lake in the world with an area of 68,000 km2, the Aral Sea has been shrinking since the 1960s after the rivers that fed it w...

A man selling fresh fish that has been caught in a part of the north Aral Sea that has been restored. Moynaq was once a thriving fishing port on the sea shore but Soviet irrigation projects caused it...

A communist-era mural depicting scenes from the town's fishing industry on a building wall in the former fishing port near the Aral Sea. Formerly the fourth largest lake in the world, with an area of...

A woman carrying buckets through the former fishing town of Moynaq, a former fishing port on the Aral Sea.

A mother and child play on a pipeline in Moynaq, a former fishing port on the Aral Sea.

A cow grazes on what was once the Aral Sea floor. Formerly the fourth largest lake in the world with an area of 68,000 km2, the Aral Sea has been shrinking since the 1960s after the rivers that fed it...

Rusting ships resting on the former seabed of the Aral Sea are slowly being dismantled to recycle their steel. Formerly the fourth largest lake in the world with an area of 68,000 km2, the Aral Sea ha...

Camels rest in the shadow of a building in the former fishing town of Aralsk. The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, gradually disappeared following the decision in the 1960s by Soviet pl...

A group od boys swimming near a shipwreck in the town's former port. The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, gradually disappeared following the decision in the 1960s by Soviet planners to...

Camels shelter from the hot sun under rusting shipwrecks near the village of Dzambul, a former fishing town on the shores of the Aral Sea. The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, gradually...

Camels shelter from the hot sun under rusting shipwrecks near the village of Dzambul, a former fishing town on the shores of the Aral Sea. The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, gradually...

Two boys play beside a pool of water, where the rusting remnants of barges lie half sunk at its edges. The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, gradually disappeared following the decision...

Camels shelter from the hot sun under rusting shipwrecks near the village of Dzambul, a former fishing town on the shores of the Aral Sea. The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, gradually...

In 2004, President Nazarbayev visited Aralsk and this billboard, featuring a photograph of that event, also proclaims the desire of the government to revive the Aral Sea.

A gate built at the entrance to Aralsk.

A man uses a rod to make a hole in the ice through which he will be able to fish the waters of the Aral Sea. In the background, his Bactrian camel, who carried the fisherman and his equipment to the s...

Fishermen unload their supplies at a fishing spot on the frozen Aral Sea that they reached on the back of their Bactrian camel.

A camel takes two fishermen to their fishing spot on the frozen Aral Sea, a few kilometers from the edge of the village.

A camel takes two fishermen to their fishing spot on the frozen Aral Sea, a few kilometers from the edge of the village.

A man sits astride his Bactrian camel as he separts for a day of fishing on the Aral Sea. The camel can only walk on ice if it is covered with snow. Otherwise, his hooves slide on the ice.

Shells testify that this bank of land was once submerged by the sea.

These remains of a pontoon testify that this bank of land was once submerged by the sea.

Sabira Ibragieva, who says she remembers when the Aral Sea began its retreat from her village in 1969, with her granddaughter

The rusting hulk of a ship left stranded in the desert, over 100 kilometres from the current waters of the shrunken Aral Sea.

A man and a woman laugh as they travel by convoy across the frozen steppe.

A woman walks across the frozen steppe between Aralsk & Tastubek.

A camel carries a fishermen to a fishing spot on the frozen Aral Sea, a few kilometers from the edge of the village.

Flat fish (kambala) caught in the Aral Sea.

A fisherman's camel eats a flat fish (kambala) caught by its owner in the Aral Sea.

Fishermen retrieve fish caught in their nets in the frozen waters of the Aral Sea.

Fishermen retrieve fish caught in their nets in the frozen waters of the Aral Sea.

A metal rod that fishermen use to manoeuvre a net beneath the ice that covers the Aral Sea.

A man uses a rod to make a hole in the ice through which he will be able to fish the waters of the Aral Sea.

A motorcycle's pillion passenger pulls a man on a sled across the frozen Aral Sea.

A man uses a rod to make a hole in the ice through which he will be able to fish the waters of the Aral Sea. In the foreground, his Bactrian camel, who carried the fisherman and his equipment to the s...

A man uses a rod to make a hole in the ice through which he will be able to fish the waters of the Aral Sea.

A man drops his nets through a hole in the ice into the waters of the Aral Sea. In the foreground, his Bactrian camel, who carried the fisherman and his equipment to the spot, rests and eats its fodde...

A man uses a rod to make a hole in the ice through which he will be able to fish the waters of the Aral Sea. In the foreground, his Bactrian camel, who carried the fisherman and his equipment to the s...

A boat park where the history of the Aral Sea is presented to all, but especially those born after the sea had retreated from the town.

Rusting hulks of ships in what once formed the Aralsk port that served ships on the Aral Sea, now more than 100 kms away.

A man drags a sled in what once formed the Aralsk port that served ships on the Aral Sea, now more than 100 kms away.

A man drags a sled loaded with scrap past the rusting hulk of a ship that once plied the waters of the Aral Sea, now more than 100 kms away.

A concrete wall forms part of the remnants of the former Aralsk port.

The rusting remnants from th eSoviet era left stranded in the desert, over 100 kilometres from the current waters of the shrunken Aral Sea.

A man takes a short break from fishing on the frozen Aral Sea to smoke a cigarette.

A fisherman retrieves his net, dropped through an ice hole into the waters of the Aral Sea beneath. Beside them a cravasse indictates the coming of warmer weather.

Fisherman Ertaz Akhkoshkarov, pulls in his net, dropped through an ice hole into the waters of the Aral Sea beneath.

Zhakslik secures his fishing nets, dropped through ice holes into the waters of the Aral Sea beneath, for the night. He will return the following day to retrieve his catch.

A fishing hole cut through the ice covering the Aral Sea.

Fishermen count out the distance between the holes they have cut into the frozen Aral Sea to determine the placement of their nets.

Sabira Ibragieva, one of the residents of the former fishing village of Tastubek, is blind but she remembers seeing the Aral Sea receding in 1969.

Washing hangs out on the washing line, covered in frost, in the village of Tastubek near the Aral Sea.

A camel, led by a local fisherman, pulls a sledge toward the his fishing spot on the Aral Sea a few kilometres from the village of Tastubek through the snow.

A fishing boat stands stranded in the snow. The towns of Aralsk and Tastubek used to support an industrial fishing fleet but the disappearance of the Aral Sea destroyed most of the industry.

The 'graveyard of ships', a group of rusting trawlers, abandoned on the former shore of the Aral Sea. The town is within the catchment area of the Amu Darya river delta that once supported an extensiv...

Washing hangs from a line outside a run-down housing complex. The town is within the catchment area of the Amu Darya river delta that once supported an extensive irrigation based agricultural system....

A dog stands near the 'graveyard of ships', a group of rusting trawlers, abandoned on the former shore of the Aral Sea. The town is within the catchment area of the Amu Darya river delta that once sup...

Schoolchildren sweep the streets as a community service in Muynak, a former Soviet fishing port on the Aral Sea.

Boys playing in the dunes near the 'graveyard of ships', a group of rusting trawlers, abandoned on the former shore of the Aral Sea. The town is within the catchment area of the Amu Darya river delta...

A young child keeps his dogs calm after they barked at passing strangers. The town is within the catchment area of the Amu Darya river delta that once supported an extensive irrigation based agricultu...

The skeletal remains of an abandoned trawler left to decay on what was once the Aral Sea's shore, now about 40 kms distant. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Da...

The remains of an abandoned trawler left to decay on what was once the Aral Sea's shore, now about 40 kms distant. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and t...

A man drives his bike through the sand. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops. This cau...

Men play chess in an empty building. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops. This caused...

A woman drinks vodka in a cafe. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops. This caused the...

Drivers and their Soviet era cars in the town centre. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other c...

A woman pumps water fropm a standpipe beside an apartment block. On the wall is the fading emblem of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (t...

An old photograph of fishing boats on the Aral Sea. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other cro...

Sand encroaches around an abandoned building. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops. Th...

A man walks beside a decaying and abandoned building. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other c...

Two young boys standing in the sand at teh side of a road. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and o...

Young boys playing football near an abandoned house. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other cr...

A boy runs past an abandoned building in Moynac. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops....

A man drives through the town centre. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops. This cause...

A group of youths sit on the rubble from an abandoned train track. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotto...

A man walks along an empty road. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops. This caused the...

People walking in the town centre. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for irrigating cotton and other crops. This caused t...

A man pushes a hand cart, loaded with milk churns and children, along a dusty road. During the 1950s and the 1960s the rivers that feed the Aral Sea (the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya) were diverted for...

Power lines run through what was once the Aral Sea bed. In the distance two old fishing boats are left abandoned. There are now no fish at all in the Southern Aral Sea as salinity levels have risen at...

A villager from Moynaq who was once a fisherman on the Aral Sea for over 25 years. He now uses the former seabed around Moynaq for grazing his sheep on.

An old map in a mechanic's workshop of the Aral Sea. It is now less than one third of the size it once was.

A street in Moynaq, the once prosperous resort town that sat on the shores of the Aral Sea.

Old discarded fishing boats which once worked on the Aral Sea are brought here to be broken down and sold for scrap metal. Only due to an increase in water from the Amu Darya River, which once fed the...

Old discarded fishing boats that worked on the Aral Sea are brought here to be broken down and sold for scrap metal. Only due to an increase in water from the Amu Darya River, which once fed the Aral...

Only due to an increase in water from the Amu Darya River, which once fed the Aral Sea but has still not reached it for over nine years, are there small pools of water.

Thick white foam 100cm wide forms at the shore line of the Aral Sea. The cause of this thick solid foam is probably from the increased salinity of the sea.