Central Asia comprises five independent republics, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Central Asia covers an area of 3,994,300 square kilometers which includes some of the most sparsely populated regions in the world. Its population of only 51 million people includes more than 100 different ethnic groups, from Germans and Austrians to Tibetans and Koreans. The largest ethnic group is the Uzbeks(consist of the muxture of the other native nations like Persians, Arabs after the Islamic invation and Mongols). Uzbekistan has a population of 20.5 million, and Uzbeks from substantial minorities in all other four republics. There were some 10.6 million Russians living in Central Asia in 1992, but there has been a large-scale exodus of Russians from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan Because of the economical changes.
Tashkent a capital of Uzbekistan has long urban histories but the other three capital cities, Dushanbe in Tajikistan, Alma Ata in Kazakhstan and Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, were created by the Bolsheviks to give a sense of ethnic identity to those nationalities. Uzbekistan contains all the most famous historical cities of Central Asia: Bukhara, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz and Khiva. There were the seats of nomadic empires and settled kingdoms in the past, as well as being centers in the development of Islam throughout the region. For centuries the hundreds of madrasahs, or Islamic colleges in Bukhara and Samarkand attracted students from as far away as Morocco and Indonesia. Bukhara is seen by many Muslims as a place of pilgrimage and the most important city in Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Central Asia was also the birthplace of Sufism, the mystical trend in Islam which spread rapidly to Africa and Asia.
Uzbekistan, Central Asia | |
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Ancient cities of Uzbekistan were located on the ancient Silk Road, the trading route between China and the West linking all the routes of roads with Bukhara, one of the main crossroads in Central Asia . The route took its name from silk, the commodity most in demand in Europe from China during the Roman period. Some of the most influential and savage conquerors came and ruled these lands. Alexander the Great set up at least 8 cities in Central Asia between 334 - 323 BC before the caravans began traveling through the Silk Road after around 138 BC China opened its border to trade. Between 484 - 1150 Huns, Turks and Arabs came from the west and the latest brought with them a new religion of Islam. Many mosques and Madrassahs were built in Uzbekistan cities of Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva during this period, including remaining structures of the Samanids in Bukhara. | |
