Chapter 16 sec. 3

Central Asia

Central Asia

• Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Silk Road

• Road from China to Mediterranean Sea

Silk Road

Silk Road

• Traders carried silk from China

• Gold, silver, ivory, wine, spices

• Spread ideas, technology

Silk Road

Great Game

• Battle between the U.K. and the Russian Empire for control of area

• Won by Russia

• Soviet Union then took possession

• Area independent since 1991

Nuclear Testing

• U.S.S.R conducted testing in Kazakhstan

• 470 nuclear weapons exploded

• Caused many health problems

Birth defects

Nuclear Testing

Oil Deposits

• In Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan

Ethnicities in Central Asia

• Soviets created countries with two ethnic groups.

• Created disunion

Central Asia

Unifying Factors

• Islam

• Turkish language

Traditions

• Nomadic lifestyles

• Yurts

Yurts