CHAPTER 6

CENTRAL ASIA AND AFGHANISTAN

* The region is just south of Northern Eurasia is in a highly strategic location. It has Russia as its neighbor
to the north and it is bounded by China to the east and India and Pakistan to the south and south east, as
well as Iran to the south west. Because this region is in the center, it is highly strategic. It is in the middle
of the major powers, that why it was already highly strategic location even back in in the 90s, and it is
the same in current era.

* The importance of river valleys and Afghanistan’s population and economy. Why Aral Sea has shrunk
dramatically and assess what might be done to reverse this process. Especially environmentally this is
the showcase, because the Aral Sea is an example of an environmental disaster. Only about one forth
remains.

Basic Geography

The region comprises a landlocked region. The sole access to a large body of water is through the
Caspian Sea to the West which is not really a sea but a huge lake. East of the Caspian Sea are the
drylands and to the North bordering Russia and which makes up a large area of Kazakhstan are the
grasslands. The south is dominated by mountains ranges west to north east especially the lofty Pamirs
and Tien Shan and the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan. Beyond the eastern mountains are the deserts of
Western China. They are thus relatively remote from the major metropolitan centers of the world that
are readily accessible by sea. By reason of geography that had been reinforced by its former status as
part of the Soviet Union, the natural transportation routes for much of Central Asia is through the north
through Russia.
The natural boundaries are the mountains in South ranges west to north east especially Pamirs, Tien
Shan and the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan. In ancient times, there were migration coming from the area of
Caspian Sea to the Caucasus. Another branch went to the east and south to the Hindu Kush and Pakistan
and India to populate South Asia.

Sincan province, the Western frontier of China. There are mountains, deserts that created natural
borders.

Much of the rain comes from Indian Ocean. Those rains do not reach other side of the mountains, that’s
why you have deserts to the North. Much of the rain will trap in the mountains and they become the
sources of major rivers

Major Physical features & Landforms: There are 3 major regions dominate: Mountains, Steppe –
Dominates much of Kazakhstan which makes agriculture difficult, Deserts. Mountains and because of
that there are lots of deserts. Because a lot of deserts, in terms of population density, it tells us that
population is less dense. Major Deserts: Kara Kum, Kyzl Kum, Major Mountains: Hindu Kush, Pamirs,
Fan, Tien Shan.

* Especially historically Hindu Kush represented a strategic location for immigration passes.

Because of wide grass lands grows naturally, it becomes a natural gracing ground for horses. That why
this area became the home for nomadic tribes likes Hans and the Mongols.

Waterways: Caspian Sea is the largest lake.

Environmental Challenges

* Many challenges are a result of Soviet Planning. Developments that were not sustainable and had not
considered welfare of local residents.

* Nuclear weapon testing in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan

* Aral Sea Crisis

* Erosion from Virgin Lands Program

* Landmines

* Drought

Ethnic Origins

Historically, the major influences on the region had been both Persia and Turkey and thus the countries
have the suffix “stan” which has Persian roots meaning the “country” or “place” of. In modern times, the
major influence is Russia especially through the command economy policies and the wide use of Russian
language as the Central Asian countries had been incorporated into the Soviet Union in the 1920s.
Central Asian countries now seek to fulfill their development potentials in the post-Soviet era while
Afghanistan remains mired in conflict.
* Origins of Ottoman Empire comes from Central Asia.