1. CENTRAL ASIA
Ms. Miller

2. Central Asia: Countries
Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan
Turkmenistan
Afghanistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Why do all these countries end in “stan”?
“Stan” means “Land Of”

4. CENTRAL ASIA TIMELINE 100 B.C. Silk Road 700s Arab armies 1200s
Mongol Armies
1500
Isolated and poor
Mid- 1800s
Russia
1991

5. Democracy vs. Communism
President Elected by the People
Leader chosen by previous leader
System of Checks and Balances
Collective Ownership
Freedom to Choose
(make your own wealth)
Shared Wealth

6. Central Asia: Geography
Landlocked
There is no direct access to the ocean
Mountains
Pamirs
Mainly in Tajikistan
Hindu Kush Mt.
Afghanistan
Plains and Plateaus
Rivers and Lakes
Pamirs

7. Central Asia: Plains and Plateus
Plains and Plateaus
Land slopes downward from east to west (Tajikistan  Caspian Sea)
The area between the mts and Caspian Sea is covered with plains and low plateaus
Fergana Valley
Uzbekistan
Major center of farming
Fergana Valley.
- Farming land used especially for cotton production

8. Central Asia: Major Rivers and Lakes
Two rivers flow through the Fergana Valley:
1. Syr Darya
2. Amu Darya
These rivers flow into the Aral Sea
Located between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
Lake Balkhash
Fresh water at one end, salty water at the other end
Kazakhstan
Lake Balkhash and Kazakhstan flag

9. A R L S E

10. Central Asia: Major Rivers and Lakes
Caspian Sea
World’s largest lake
Landlocked
Over 130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea
Volga River is the largest river that flows into it
Oil in Caspian Basin (floor of the Caspian sea)
Oil Rigs in the Caspian Sea

11. Central Asia: Natural Resources
Oil and Gas
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan have oil and gas
Oil and gas only beneficial if it’s exported
Landlocked, no ocean ports, have to transport it through pipelines
hard to build and maintain
Economic and political turmoil
Water
Main water sources are the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers
Conflict over how to use them
Use water to irrigate cotton fields
Hydroelectricity

12. Central Asia: Afghanistan
Capital: Kabul
Long war with the Soviet Union (Russia) in the 1980s
Taliban
Mid-1990s
Radical Muslim group
Ended with U.S. conflict (9/11)

13. Central Asia: Kazakhstan
Capital: Astana
First part of Central Asia to be conquered by the Russians
Economy was once tied to former Soviet Union (Russia)
Economy suffered when the Soviet Union collapsed
Oil allowed for the economy to grow back
Richest country in Central Asia
Downtown Astana

14. Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan
Capital: Bishkek
Kyrgyz means “forty clans”
Farming is the most important industry
Mix of irrigated crops and dryland farming
Does not provide much income

15. Central Asia: Tajikistan
Capital: Dushanbe
Political turmoil in the mid-1990s
Now a republic with an elected President
Economy damaged by years of civil war
Cotton is important for country’s income
Only 5 to 6 percent of the land is arable
Pamirs

16. Central Asia: Turkmenistan
Capital: Ashgabat
President holds all the power in the country
Voted President for life by the country’s parliament
Support Islam
Economy based on oil, gas, and cotton
Half of its country is planted with cotton fields
Has the longest irrigation channel in the world!
Mosque outside of Ashgabat

17. Central Asia: Uzbekistan
Capital: Tashkent
Largest population of Central Asian countries
Largest Cities
Bukhara
Samarqand
Famous for mosques and monuments
Government closely controls the economy
Economy is based on oil, gold, and cotton
Mosque in Bukhara