Central Asia History and Culture the Region Today

 Persian Empire.  Alexander the Great (Greeks) -300’s B.C.E.  Turkic kingdoms- 600’s C.E.  Chinese-600’s C.E.  Muslim Arabs- 751’s C.E.  Mongols-Genghis Khan C.E.  Mongols-Timur- 1300’s C.E.  Russians-1800’s C.E.

 The SILK ROAD merchants pursuing profits used CARAVANS carrying silk and other luxury goods crossed Central Asia from China to the Mediterranean. The purpose of a caravan was to travel in a group for protection.  The Silk Road lasted until the 1400’s when Europeans began sailing to East Asia and bypassed Central Asia.

 Russians brought irrigation and farming to the desert. They also built railroads throughout the region. These developments assisted with cotton and oil production.  People in the region were beginning to resist Russian rule, but when the Soviets took over Russia, crushed the resistance in Central Asia. They created Republics that segregated ethnic groups and resources.

 Russians migrated to the region.  The Soviets built huge irrigation projects which helped the USSR become a leading cotton producer in the world.  The built a MONOCULTURE with the cultivation of a single crop - COTTON.  After the collapse of the USSR the Republic declared their independence.

 The people of the region were in two groups.  The south had a tradition of farming with irrigation.  The northern people were NOMADS who followed their herds and Lived in YURTS, a round portable tent.

Economic Challenges Agriculture is important to the region. Traditional herds: camels, cattle, goats, horses and sheep. Crops: cotton, fruits, barley, rice, tobacco, vegetables. Kyrgyzstan has fertile soil which allows DRYLAND FARMING - which relies on rain and not irrigation. Turkmenistan relies on the worlds longest irrigation channel to irrigate their crops. Turkmenistan minerals, oil and natural gas waiting to be developed.

Very few large cities: Tashkent Is the regions largest city. Tashkent Almaty Astana In 1997 Kazakhstan Moved it’s capital from Almaty to Astana. They wanted a new glorious capital closer to Russia!

 The region is landlocked and under developed.  Water issues: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have natural water supplies - rivers.  Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan NEED water for hydroelectricity and irrigation.

 Ethnic Conflicts - most of the republics are based on ethnicities, so conflicts exist among these groups.  Environmental Issues:  USSR - tested biological weapons in the Aral Sea as well as diverted the waters that led to the Aral Sea.  Nuclear weapons testing in Kazakhstan.  Overuse of chemical fertilizers have poisoned the land.  Uranium mining has left many toxic sites.