Images related to Drought in the Fertile Crescent

Drought in Iraq
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Drought in Iraq

One of the worst droughts in the past decade settled heavily over the Fertile Crescent region of Iraq and Syria in the winter of 2007-2008. Under normal conditions, winter rain and rivers flowing from the mountains of Turkey sustain the rich agricultural land that has fed humanity from the dawn of civilization. But little to no rain fell between October and December during the crucial planting period, and sparse rain fell in the months that followed, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

Published Jun 1, 2008

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Drought in the Fertile Crescent
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Drought in the Fertile Crescent

Published May 27, 2008

Drought

Drought in Iraq
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Drought in Iraq

The impact of drought in northern Iraq in spring 2009 is evident in the poor plant growth shown in this vegetation index image.

Published Jun 13, 2009

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Drought in Northern China
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Drought in Northern China

A mild drought set in over the Yellow River Basin and parts of the North China Plain during the first five months of 2006. Dry weather and warmer-than-average temperatures in February, March, and much of April left soil dry.

Published May 24, 2006

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Drought on the Canadian Prairie
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Drought on the Canadian Prairie

All vegetation—crops and natural vegetation—on Canada’s central prairie was growing less than average, as indicated by the predominant shade of brown in these vegetation index images from July 2009.

Published Aug 13, 2009

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Stressed Crops in Ukraine and Russia
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Stressed Crops in Ukraine and Russia

Under the one-two punch of a dry fall and a frigid winter, winter crops in Ukraine were in poor condition in April and May 2006. This vegetation anomaly (difference from normal) image was created from data collected by MODIS. Widespread brown indicates that plants throughout the region had grown less compared to the average growth for 2000-2005. The Foreign Agricultural Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, estimated that only 10 metric tons of winter wheat, the primary crop growing here, would be harvested in July and August. That figure was down about 46 percent from the 18.7 metric tons harvested in 2005.

Published May 25, 2006

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Severe Drought in Southern Russia
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Severe Drought in Southern Russia

This vegetation index image shows how drought limited plant growth in southern Russia between June 26 and July 11, 2010.

Published Jul 24, 2010

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