1. Chapter 10 – Central Asia Section Notes Video Maps Close-up
Physical Geography
History and Culture
Central Asia Today
Impact of Progress in Afghanistan
Maps
Central Asia: Political
Central Asia: Physical
Central Asia: Land Use and Resources
Languages of Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan
Central Asia
Farmland in Central Asia
Close-up
Inside a Yurt
World Almanac
Standard of Living in Central Asia
Images
Quick Facts
Geography
Cotton Harvest
Arab Influence on Central Asia
Ethnic Groups of Central Asia
Focus on Culture: Turkmen Carpets
Chapter 10 Visual Summary

2. Physical Geography The Big Idea
Central Asia, a dry, rugged, landlocked region, has oil and other valuable mineral resources.
Main Ideas
Key physical features of landlocked Central Asia include rugged mountains.
Central Asia has a harsh, dry climate that makes it difficult for vegetation to grow.
Key natural resources in Central Asia include water, oil and gas, and minerals.

3. Main Idea 1: Key physical features of landlocked Central Asia include rugged mountains.
All of the countries in this region are landlocked, or completely surrounded by land with no direct access to the ocean.
Mountains
Many high mountain ranges through Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan
Large glaciers in high mountains such as the Pamirs
The mountains have contributed to the region’s isolation.
Frequent earthquakes
Plains and Plateaus
From mountains in east, the land gradually slopes westward.
The central part of the region is covered with plains and low plateaus.
The plains region is the site of the fertile Fergana Valley, a major center of farming in the region for thousands of years.
Rivers and Lakes
Two rivers, the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, flow through the Fergana Valley from eastern mountains into the Aral Sea, which is really a large lake.
Another important lake, Lake Balkhash, has freshwater at one end and salty water at the other end.

4. Main Idea 2: Central Asia has a harsh, dry climate that makes it difficult for vegetation to grow.
High peaks in the eastern mountain area are too cold, dry, and windy for vegetation.
Two deserts—the Kara-Kum and the Kyzyl Kum—have extremely high temperatures.
Temperature ranges are not so extreme in the north and rainfall is heavy enough for plants to grow.

5. Main Idea 3: Key natural resources in Central Asia include water, oil and gas, and minerals.
Main water sources are the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers.
Conflict between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan over how to use the water from the rivers
River water used mostly to irrigate cotton fields
So much water from the rivers is used for irrigation that almost no water reaches the Aral Sea today.
Central Asia’s rivers also supply power.
Large dams on the rivers generate hydroelectricity.

6. Oil and Other Resources
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan have huge reserves of oil and natural gas.
Reserves must be exported to benefit the countries.
With no ocean port, oil and gas must be transported through pipelines.
Building and maintaining pipelines is difficult through the rugged terrain.
Other Resources
Other minerals are also present.
Kazakhstan has many mineral mines.
Gold, silver, copper, zinc, uranium, and lead
Also large amounts of coal

7. History and Culture The Big Idea
The countries of Central Asia share similar histories and traditions, but particular ethnic groups give each country a unique culture.
Main Ideas
Throughout history, many different groups have conquered Central Asia.
Many different ethnic groups and their traditions influence culture in Central Asia.

8. Main Idea 1: Throughout history, many different groups have conquered Central Asia.
Trade
Beginning in about 100 BC the best trade route between Europe and China ran through Central Asia and was called the Silk Road.
Cities along the road, such as Samarqand and Bukhara, grew rich from the trade.
By 1500 Europeans were sailing to East Asia through the Indian Ocean, and trade through Central Asia declined.
Invasions
Interest in the trade route sparked many invasions, among the first were Turkic-speaking nomads from northern Asia in AD 500.
Arab armies took over much of the region in the 700s and ruled until the 1200s.
Mongol armies conquered Central Asia in the 1200s, followed later by various tribes, such as the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, and Turkmens.

9. Russian and Soviet Rule
The Russians conquered Central Asia in the mid-1800s.
Built railroads
Expanded cotton and oil production
Rule came to be resented
After the Russian Revolution in 1917 the new Soviet leaders weakened resistance to their rule by dividing Central Asia into republics.
They encouraged ethnic Russians to move to these areas and made other people settle on government-owned farms.
The Soviet Union collapsed in The Central Asian republics finally became independent countries.

10. Main Idea 2: Many different ethnic groups and their traditions influence culture in Central Asia.
For centuries Central Asians have made a living by raising horses, cattle, sheep, and goats.
Many herders live as nomads, people who move often from place to place.
Unique homes, called yurts, make moving with the herds possible. A yurt is a movable round house made of wool felt mats hung over a wood frame.

11. People, Languages, and Religion
Several ethnic groups (all part of larger ethnic group, Turkic), including:
Kazakh
Kyrgyz
Turkmen
Uzbek
Russian
Languages
Each ethnic group speaks its own language.
In most countries, more than one language is spoken.
When the Russians conquered the region, they established Russian as the official language.
They also introduced the Cyrillic alphabet, but most countries now use the Latin alphabet.
Religion
Traders and conquerors brought their religious beliefs to the region.
Islam is the main religion in Central Asia.
Most of the region’s Christians attend the Russian Orthodox Church.

12. Central Asia Today The Big Idea
Central Asian countries are mostly poor, but they are working to create stable governments and sound economies.
Main Ideas
The countries of Central Asia are working to develop their economies and to improve political stability in the region.
The countries of Central Asia face issues and challenges related to the environment, the economy, and politics.

13. Main Idea 1: The countries of Central Asia are working to develop their economies and to improve political stability in the region.
Afghanistan
Long war with the Soviet Union in the 1980s
In the mid-1990s a radical Muslim group, the Taliban, took over most of the country, including the capital, Kabul.
After September 11, 2001, attacks, U.S. and British forces attacked Taliban and al Qaeda targets and toppled the Taliban government.
The new government has a new constitution, new voting regulations, and a new national assembly that includes women.

14. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Strong Russian influence
Growing economy based on oil reserves and quick adaptation to the free market
Stable democratic republic with an elected president and parliament
Kyrgyzstan
Clan membership and nomadic traditions are important.
Mix of irrigated crops and dryland farming, or farming that relies on rainfall instead of irrigation, is most important industry.
Low standard of living, signs of strengthening economy
Fairly stable government

15. Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Republic with an elected president
Relies on cotton farming; only 5-6 percent of country’s land is arable, or suitable for growing crops
Turkmenistan
Parliament with president for life who holds all the power
Supports Islam, but not as political movement
Economy based on oil, gas, and cotton
Uzbekistan
President who holds all the power
Government closely controls the economy.
Economy based on oil, gold, and cotton

16. Environmental Challenges
Main Idea 2: The countries of Central Asia face issues and challenges related to the environment, the economy, and politics.
Environmental Challenges
Shrinking of the Aral Sea, with dust storms and impact on the fishing industry
Radiation left over from Soviet nuclear bomb testing
Overuse of chemicals in crop production
Economic Challenges
Reliance on one crop, cotton
Focus on cotton has not encouraged development of manufacturing industries.
Oil and gas development slowed by outdated tools, lack of funds, poor transport
Political Challenges
Lack of political stability
Often faced with terrorist threats from different political groups within their own countries

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