Growing regions

The Growing Region is our field-meaningful unit — a cultural-geographic area sharing climate, cultural practices and genetics. Browse by continent, then country. Regions that span borders are listed under each relevant country.

Asia

Afghanistan Cambodia China India Iran Laos Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Uzbekistan Vietnam

Afghanistan

Balkh

     Undetermined

Traditional Landrace Cannabis cultivation zone .

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Cambodia

Southern Cambodia

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool

Important historical Cannabis production zone, now at risk of extinction.

     Critical
     Areas: — 6
     Accessions: —

China

Xinjiang

     Central Asian Gene Pool
     • Tarim–Dzungar Oases

Cold-arid oasis belts; fiber/seed heritage with localized drug-type pockets.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Yunnan–Red River Highlands

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Upper Mekong/Red River Divide

Highland ethnic mosaics; historical ganja cultivation with modern reduction.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

India

Western Himalayas

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Hindu Kush–Himalayan

High-elevation charas country; resilient drug-type populations in a cat-and-mouse with enforcement.

     Vulnerable
     
     Accessions: 100+

Dooars–Terai Fringe

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Brahmaputra–Ganges

Humid piedmont belt at the Himalayan foothills; mixed feral/domesticate mosaics.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Iran

Zagros Highlands

     South/West Asian Interface
     • Zagros

Upland villages and valleys; historic uses with limited contemporary data.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Laos

Northern Laos

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Lao Highlands

Mountain villages with rainfed ganja traditions; increasing hybrid introductions along roads.

     Vulnerable
     
     Accessions: —

Upper Mekong Highlands (Laos sector)

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Upper Mekong Highlands

Cross-border highlands spanning Yunnan–Laos–N. Thailand; cool monsoon regime.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Myanmar

Shan Plateau Fringe

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Salween–Irrawaddy Divide

Upland mosaics; limited documentation amid shifting cultivation systems.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Nepal

Central Nepal Mid-Hills

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Himalayan Mid-Hills

Terraced mid-hills; traditional drug-type enclaves with seasonal charas production.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Pakistan

Swat–Dir Valleys

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Hindu Kush

Cool-arid river valleys with hashish traditions; security limits documentation.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Tajikistan

Pamir–Altai Foothills (Tajikistan)

     Central Asian Gene Pool
     • Pamir–Altai

Cold-arid foothills and valleys; fiber/seed traditions with local drug-type enclaves.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Thailand

Khorat Plateau

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Mekong Basin

Isan/Lao rainfed ganja region; seasonal selection persists amid hybrid pressure.

     Vulnerable
     
     Accessions: 12+

Northern Thai Highlands

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Upper Mekong Highlands

Cool monsoon highlands; shifting cultivation enclaves with legacy drug-type stands.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Turkey (border case, included here)

Eastern Anatolia Highlands

     West/Central Asian Interface
     • Upper Euphrates–Tigris

High plateau valleys; historic hemp/ganja uses with sparse modern data.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Uzbekistan

Fergana Basin Fringe

     Central Asian Gene Pool
     • Fergana

Irrigated oases and foothill margins; documentation limited.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Vietnam

Northern Uplands (Vietnam)

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Red River Highlands

Highland ethnic mosaics; historical cultivation with scarce present data.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —