Central Asia & the Caucusus. Landforms Physical Geography.
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Transcript of Central Asia & the Caucusus. Landforms Physical Geography.
Central Asia & the Caucusus
Landforms
Physical Geography
Mountains
The Caucusus Mountains lie between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea
They separate Russia from Central Asia
Water Features
Aral Sea
Caspian Sea
Natural Resources
Turkmenistan has the world’s largest supplies of sulfur and sulfates
Sulfate is used in glass, paperboard, and detergent
The region is also known for chromium, gold, lead, manganese, and zinc
Climate Desert & Steppe
Deserts:
about 10 inches of rainfall per year
Cold winters with freezing temperatures
Nomadic animals graze on brush
Steppe:
Borders deserts
Less than 14 inches of rain per year
Allows short grasses to grow
Pastoralism: the raising and grazing of livestock
The People of Central Asia
Predominant Ethnic Groups and Traditional Garb
Pashtun (Afghanistan)
Armenian & Georgian (Caucasus)
Uzbeks & Kazakhs (Turkic Peoples Outside of Turkey)
Population Density
Most populous country in region: Afghanistan
Population displaced by conflict
Armenian Genocide Mass emigration after takeover by Soviet
Union produced harsh conditions Kyrgyzstan
Population Distribution
Population is spread unevenly
Why might that be?
Tajikistan: people settle in river valleys
Amu Dar’ya Syr Dar’ya
History & Gov’t
Crossroads of European and Asian cultures
Silk Road
led to prosperity for certain areas
Also inspired invasions by the Mongols, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, and Ottoman Turks
Crossroads of Culture
Armenia is surrounded by countries whose inhabitants identify as Muslim, but over 90% of Armenians practice Christianity
Azerbaijan is surrounded by Christian countries in the Caucasus, but maintains an Islamic culture
Armenia is classified as an enclave: a territory that is culturally or ethnically different from surrounding larger cultures
Azerbaijan is considered an exclave: a distinct group of people who are isolated from the main/larger part of the country
Central Asia and the USSR
Harsh conditions led to people fleeing the region during the Soviet Era
After the fall of the USSR, many countries declared independence
Armenia has some economic stability and reform
Tajikistan was chaotic without central authority
Most of Afghanistan was taken over by the Taliban
Poverty and unemployment widespread
Armenia, Georgia, & Kazakhstan hope that oil and gas will stabilize the economy
Language
Turkic languages are the most common
Georgia is the only country in the region with a wholly unique language and alphabet
Russian is still the official language of Kazakhstan and widely spoken in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Georgian Alphabet and Pronunciation Chart
Religion
Islam is most popular
Most countries follow the Sunni branch
Azerbaijan follows the Shia branch
Christianity is the major religion in Armenia and Georgia
90% of Armenians follow the Armenian Apostolic Church (300s AD)
Georgia uses follows the Georgian Orthodox Church
Life
Universal education
Mandatory through secondary schools for many countries
Literacy roughly 88% for most countries (Tajikistan)
Afghanistan & Uzbekistan lagging
Armenia & Georgia near 99%
Healthcare poor since dissolution of USSR
Little money to spend on social programs after years of conflict
Region known for literary tradition
Suppressed during Soviet Era
Economy and Human Impact
Economy
Azerbaijan has the most arable land in the region (21%)
Turkmenistan has the least arable land (5%)
In Afghanistan, 67% of people depend on farming but only 12% of the land is arable
Climate plays a role
Georgia is known for citrus fruits (humid subtropical climate)
Uzbekistan is one of the world’s largest cotton producers
Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan raise silkworms
Azerbaijan exports wheat, cotton, potatoes, and tea
Kazakhstan produces large amounts of grain
Oil pipelines from Azerbaijan to Georgia
Transportation
Much of the region is reliant upon roads instead of waterways or ports
Mountains and deserts make building roads difficult and expensive
(Fairly) Recent development: 1998 Tajikistan unveils railroad system
Some Central Asian countries have their own airlines
Communications
Desert makes communications difficult
Satellites are improving communications services
Cell phone usage is growing
1998 – 16,767 mile telecommunications cable follows Silk Road route
Plans to create Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA)
Hope to promote peace and regional cooperation, increase access to worldwide markets, improve routes to landlocked countries, and access oil and gas deposits in Caspian region
The End
Mini Poster
Computer paper & colored pencils
Draw and label the most important aspects for
Physical
Cultural
Human impact
When you are done, explain your drawings in small groups and turn in