ANNUAL LIFE CYCLES OF THE RURAL POPULATION LIVING IN VARIOUS NATURAL-ECONOMIC ZONES OF THE NAVOI REGION

Abstract. The territory of the Navoi region is characterised by significant heterogeneity of natural and economic conditions and the lifestyle of the rural population determined by them. The territory of the region is divided into three large natural and economic zones: the irrigated agriculture zone, the desert-pasture livestock farming zone, the rainfed agriculture zone and the foothill-mountain-pasture livestock farming zone. The article describes the annual cycles of the rural population of all three natural and economic zones of the region, studied by the author in the process of field socio- geographical observations and interviews with local residents in 50 rural settlements of different districts and natural and economic zones of the Navoi region. The annual life cycles are compiled as a sequence of traditional economic and household activities of the rural population in the context of seasons and months. These social and everyday life cycles are associated with the main areas of economic activity of the rural population - irrigated and dry-fed agriculture, distant-pasture livestock farming, seasonal natural and climatic rhythms of different areas of the region, ethnocultural traditions of Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks, Tajiks, who make up the majority of the rural population of different natural and economic zones of the Navoi region. Findings reveal distinct seasonal patterns in agricultural labor Key words: lifestyle, natural and economic zones, desert-pasture livestock farming, irrigated agriculture, dry farming, foothill-mountain-pasture livestock farming, annual life cycles.