The Caucasus and Central Asia Chapter 22 The Caucasus and Central Asia

Section 1 - Caucasus Nations Nations between the Black and Caspian Sea - Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan Ethnically diverse Former Soviet Republics Many of the problems they have today are directly linked to past Soviet actions

Georgia (Tbilisi) Caucasus mountains to the N and S Eastern shore of the black sea Climate - subtropical - warm winter, heavy rainfall at times Crops - grapes, fruit, tobacco, and tea Wine and cognac production Eastern climate - more continental Grains and vegetables

Georgia Problems in economic development after the fall of USSR GDP dropped 3/4 Rely on ag., some machine manufacturing, coal, petroleum and nat. gas 5 million people - 70% ethnic Georgian Northern Georgia - small groups pushing for autonomy - independence Currency - Lari - replaced the Ruble in 1993

Armenia (Yerevan) Landlocked size of Maryland Mt. and rocky Crops in the valleys Culture Indo-European people - 2,000 yrs. WWI conflict with Turks (Turks tried to cleanse the country of Armenians) Christianity in conflict with Islam people Mount Ararat - peak Noah’s Ark (in Turkey seen from Armenia)

Azerbaijan (Baku) Petroleum - main source of wealth Rural areas and Mt. - herding goats, sheep and cattle Rivers flow into the Caspian crops in the valleys - fruit, cotton, tea and silk 90% Azeri Many conflicts with Armenia: Nagorno - Karabakh region - became a part of Armenia after a war in 1994, the region is rich in oil Many conflicts with Russia on oil control and shipping through the Med. And Black Sea Pollution is a problem Muslim Religion

Section 2 - Central Asian Nations The Stans - first part of the name is the ethnic group and the “Stan” means Land Of Physical characteristics - Tien Shan and Pamir - Alai Mt. Ranges in the SE Tajikistan Fedchenko Alpine Glacier 40 miles Climate - mostly arid and semi-arid 2 Deserts Kara Kum and Kyzyl Kum - less than 3 inches of precipitation a year

Section 2 continued N. Kazakhstan - steppes with top soil - Chernozem (very fertile soil) Some oil and natural gas Different ethnic groups - 4 languages related to Turkish Islamic faith but not as fundamental as Iran Fundamentalism - strict interpretation of the Koran

End of section 2 Nomadic herders -- lived in yurts (large portable tents) Irrigation from 2 main rivers to farm Some industry - more urban today Silk road - traders moved fine silks to China, big tourist area Aral Sea has lost volume because of irrigation Desertification - extension of the desert landscape because of peoples activities