Central Asia consists of five former Soviet republics: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. However, historically, their status has not always been the same. This region is geographically located on relatively flat land bordered by mountain ranges to the south and east and the west by the Caspian Sea. It is an area where animal and plant species, weather patterns, and human populations have mixed and interacted for many years. Therefore, it is an area that shares many things such as religion, language, and culinary staples. The people in Central Asia are primarily Muslim and speak the Turkic languages.
The ancient empires of Turkey and Persia have had a lasting impression on the region. Cultural and linguistic influences have spread in the region, helping the populations in outlying areas to continue practicing a nomadic lifestyle even today. The others, who were much easier to govern, adapted modern lifestyles and agriculture (Central Asia, 2022). This cultural split persisted even after the region was christened Central Asia by the English language in the mid-1800s.
Russia and Britain were engaged in the “Great Game,” a power struggle centered around controlling the Indian Ocean. Russia wanted it to gain access, while Britain desired it to maintain its dominance and control of India. The power struggle led to the annexation of Kazakhstan by Russia to help it have access to further contested lands (Wilson, 2017). At the time, the country was regarded as part of Russia and not Central Asia as it is presently. It was officially considered a part of Central Asia only after it gained independence. Kazakhstan’s identity was derived from its shared language and culture with other countries in its grouping. Geographically, it can be regarded as a country at Central Asia’s core on the flat northern end flowing deep into Siberia.
References
Central Asia. (2022). Central Asia: A historical overview. Retrieved from: Central Asia: A Historical Overview | Asia Society.
Wilson, J. (2017). Central Asia: Core and periphery. Geohistory. Retrieved from: Central Asia: Core and Periphery – GeoHistory.