Central Asia is a region that covers a fairly vast territory of the Eurasian continent. It has no access to the ocean, and it includes many states, some partially, some completely. The countries of Central Asia are very different in their culture, history, languages and national composition. This region stands out only as a geographical unit (unlike the Ancient East, which was a cultural area), so we will consider each of its territories separately.
Which powers are included in the geographic area
So, for starters, let's look at all the countries and capitals of Central Asia in order to form a complete picture of what lands are included in its composition. We note right away that some sources single out Central Asia and Central Asia, while others at this time believe that they are one and the same. Central Asia consists of such powers as Uzbekistan (Tashkent), Kazakhstan (Astana), Turkmenistan (Ashgabat), Tajikistan (Dushanbe) and Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek). It turns out that the region was formed by five formerSoviet republics. In turn, the countries of Central Asia comprise these five powers, plus western China (Beijing), Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar), Kashmir, Punjab, northeastern Iran (Tehran), northern India (Delhi) and northern Pakistan (Islamabad), Afghanistan (Kabul). It also includes the Asian regions of Russia, which are located south of the taiga zone.
History and features of the region
For the first time, the countries of Central Asia as a separate geographical region were identified by the geographer and historian Alexander Humboldt at the end of the 19th century. As he stated, the historical signs of these lands were three factors. Firstly, this is the ethnic composition of the population, namely the Turks, Mongols and Tibetans, who over the centuries have not lost their characteristics and have not assimilated with other races. Secondly, this is a nomadic way of life, which was inherent in almost every one of these peoples (with the exception of the Tibetans). For centuries they fought wars, expanded the borders of their powers, but despite this, they retained the originality and uniqueness of their nation and traditions. Thirdly, it was through the countries of Central Asia that the famous Silk Road passed, which was the basis of trade relations between East and West.
Central Asia or part of the CIS
Today, five former Soviet republics represent the region of Central Asia, which from time immemorial had its own culture, religion and life features. The only exception has always been Kazakhstan, since in these territoriesalways got along completely different people. Initially, when the Soviet Union was created, it was even decided to make this state part of Russia, but later it became part of the Islamic republics. Today, Kazakhstan and the countries of Central Asia are a significant part of the region, which is full of minerals, rich history, and at the same time, many religions of the world coexist in it. This is one of the few places where there is no official belief, and everyone is free to confess their God's Word. For example, in Alma-Ata, the Central Mosque and the Ascension Orthodox Cathedral are located nearby.
Other countries of Central Asia
The total area of the region is 3,994,300 square kilometers, and most of the cities, even the largest ones, are not particularly densely populated. Russians began to leave the capitals and other important megacities of these countries en masse after the collapse of the Union, which led to a demographic decline. Uzbeks are considered the most common race in the region. They live not only in Uzbekistan, but are also national minorities in all the other four states. In addition, Uzbekistan itself can be distinguished against the background of the whole of Central Asia by the presence of a huge number of cultural and architectural monuments. There are quite a lot of madrasas and Islamic colleges in the country, where people come to study from all over the world. Also on the territory of the state there are museum cities - Samarkand, Khiva, Bukhara and Kokand. There are a lot of Muslim ancient palaces, mosques, squares andviewing platforms.
Asia that stretches all the way to the East
It is simply impossible to separate the region of Central Asia from the Far East for cultural and historical reasons. These powers were formed, one might say, in unity, they both waged wars with each other and concluded various agreements. Today, the countries of East and Central Asia maintain friendly relations, and are also characterized by similar racial characteristics and some customs. East Asia itself includes such developed powers as China, Mongolia (a controversial issue - it is both in the Central part of the region and in the East), South Korea, Taiwan, North Korea and Japan. This geographical area is distinguished primarily by religion - all Buddhists here.
Conclusion
At the very end, we can say that the countries of Central and East Asia are a synthesis of cultures that have been mixed over the centuries. Representatives of a huge racial family live here - the Mongoloid, which includes many subgroups. We also note a trifle, but a fact - the locals are very fond of rice. They grow it and consume it almost every day. However, this geographical region did not become completely unified. Each country has its own language, its own characteristics and racial differences. Each religion has its own different direction, each art form is also unique and unrepeatable. On the territory of Central and East Asia, the most interesting types of martial arts were born, whichspread throughout the world and became a symbol of these countries.
