Men near Moynak, the former fishing port on the Aral Sea. The sea is now 180 kilometers from the shore. Since the 1960's, the Aral Sea has been drained of 75% of its water due to the diversion of upstream rivers that are used for cotton irrigation. While it used to be the fourth largest lake in the world, the heavily polluted and evaporating Aral Sea has seen the destruction of its ecosystem, including the depletion of fish due to increased salinity.

Via: Matthieu Paley / Corbis