1. The Caucasus and Central Asia
Chapter 22
The Caucasus and Central Asia

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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)

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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