Chapter 10

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Chapter 10 Central Asia
Section Notes
Video
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 Cen
tral Asia Farmland in Central Asia
Close-up
Inside a Yurt
World Almanac
Standard of Living in Central Asia
Images
Geography Cotton Harvest Arab Influence on
Central Asia Ethnic Groups of Central Asia Focus
on Culture Turkmen Carpets
Quick Facts
Chapter 10 Visual Summary
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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.

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Main Idea 1Key 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 regions
  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.

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Main Idea 2Central 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 desertsthe Kara-Kum and the Kyzyl
Kumhave extremely high temperatures.
Temperature ranges are not so extreme in the
north and rainfall is heavy enough for plants to
grow.
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Main Idea 3Key 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 Asias rivers also supply power.
• Large dams on the rivers generate
  hydroelectricity.

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Oil and Other Resources
Oil

• 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

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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.

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Main Idea 1Throughout 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.

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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 1991. The Central
  Asian republics finally became independent
  countries.

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Main Idea 2Many 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.

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People, Languages, and Religion

• People
• 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 regions Christians attend the
  Russian Orthodox Church.

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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.

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Main Idea 1The 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.
• There are opposing groups that want control which
  are causing stability issues for the government

• Taliban used strict interpretation of Islamic
  teachings to rule country.
• Womens role was limited had to wear veils, stop
  working, music and dancing banned
• After 9/11, 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.

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Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Kazakhstan

• Strong Russian influence it was the first
  Central Asian country to be conquered.
• The economy was tied to the Soviet Union and
  suffered when it collapsed.
• Growing economy based on oil reserves and quick
  adaptation to the free market (being able to buy
  and sell goods at any cost)
• 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. Tourism
  may help improve the economy.
• Low standard of living, signs of strengthening
  economy
• Fairly stable government

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Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Tajikistan

• After years of conflict between Communist and
  Reform groups the nation is now a republic with
  an elected president
• Following years of civil war industrial/
  agricultural production declined.
• Relies on cotton farming only 5-6 percent of
  countrys land is arable, or suitable for growing
  crops

Turkmenistan

• Parliament with president for life who holds all
  the power
• He has named a month for himself, and his face
  appears everywhere.
• Supports Islam, but not as political movement
  (not to be the govt)
• Economy based on oil, gas, and cotton

Uzbekistan

• President who holds all the power and has been
  criticized for lack of freedom and human rights.
• Government closely controls the economy.
• Economy based on oil, gold, and cotton

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Main Idea 2The 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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