Central Asia

Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and most of Kazakhstan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian suffix "-stan" (meaning 'land') in both respective native languages and most other languages. The region is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the southwest, European Russia to the northwest, China and Mongolia to the east, Iran and Indian subcontinent to the south, and Siberia to the north. Together, the five Central Asian countries have a total population of around 76 million.

In the pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras (c. 1000 and earlier), Central Asia was inhabited predominantly by Iranian peoples, populated by Eastern Iranian-speaking Bactrians, Sogdians, Chorasmians, and the semi-nomadic Scythians and Dahae. As the result of Turkic migration, Central Asia also became the homeland for the Kazakhs, Kyrgyzs, Tatars, Turkmens, Uyghurs, and Uzbeks; Turkic languages largely replaced the Iranian languages spoken in the area, with the exception of Tajikistan and areas where Tajik is spoken.

The Silk Road trade routes crossed through Central Asia, leading to the rise of prosperous trade cities. The region was a crossroads for the movement of people, goods, and ideas between Europe and the Far East. Most countries in Central Asia are still integral to parts of the world economy.

From the mid-19th century until near the end of the 20th century, Central Asia was incorporated into the Russian Empire, and later the Soviet Union, which led to Russians and other Slavs colonising the area. Modern-day Central Asia is home to a large population of descendants of European settlers, who mostly live in Kazakhstan: 7 million Russians, 500,000 Ukrainians, and about 170,000 Germans. During the Stalinist period, the forced deportation of Koreans in the Soviet Union resulted in a population of over 300,000 Koreans in the region.

Central Asia has historically been a region of geostrategic importance because of its location at the confluence of several power centres, in particular Russia and China. It has never been a cohesive power in its own right, rather it has served as a battleground for extra-regional influences. However, efforts to integrate economically have regained momentum since the death of Uzbek presidentIslam Karimov in 2016, with new initiatives like the Almaty–Bishkek Economic Corridor and the 'Silk Seven Plus' proposals gaining traction.