Central Asia: Difference between revisions
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'''Central Asia''' is not | The term '''Central Asia''' is not precisely defined. In one common usage it designates five geographically adjacent predominantly Muslim former Soviet republics — [[Kazakhstan]], [[Tajikistan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Uzbekistan]] and [[Kyrgyzstan]]. For example, that definition is often used by the UN <ref>{{citation | ||
| title = UN map of CentralAsia | |||
| url=http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/centrasia.pdf}}</ref> <ref>{{citation | |||
| title = Country list | |||
| Publisher = UN Office on Drugs & Crime | |||
|url=http://www.unodc.org/uzbekistan/en/country_profile.html UN site}}</ref>. | |||
[[Afghanistan]] can reasonably be added, since it is closely related culturally and historically to those nations and geographically contiguous with them. [[Azerbaijan]] can also reasonably be included; it is not geographically contiguous, but it is a former Soviet republic that is mainly Muslim. Some Western strategic studies <ref name=NGG-1>{{citation | |||
| id= McNair Paper Number 47 | | id= McNair Paper Number 47 | ||
| date = January 1996 | | date = January 1996 | ||
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| contrubution=Chapter 1: The Framework | | contrubution=Chapter 1: The Framework | ||
| url =http://www.ndu.edu/inss/mcnair/mcnair47/m047ch01.html}}</ref> | | url =http://www.ndu.edu/inss/mcnair/mcnair47/m047ch01.html}}</ref> | ||
therefore include it. The UN [http://www.unescap.org/oes/speca/ Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia] includes both Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. | |||
Some definitions are broader yet. Some <ref>{{citation | |||
|title=The Transoxania Pages: Central Asian history, languages, literature and culture | |||
|author=Mark Dickens | |||
|url=http://www.oxuscom.com/centasia.htm}}</ref> include what is now the Chinese province of [[Xinjiang]], a predominantly Muslim area with a language related to Turkish, calling it "East Turkestan". Arguably, [[Mongolia]] and various other areas could be included as well. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
Revision as of 02:43, 15 February 2009
The term Central Asia is not precisely defined. In one common usage it designates five geographically adjacent predominantly Muslim former Soviet republics — Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. For example, that definition is often used by the UN [1] [2].
Afghanistan can reasonably be added, since it is closely related culturally and historically to those nations and geographically contiguous with them. Azerbaijan can also reasonably be included; it is not geographically contiguous, but it is a former Soviet republic that is mainly Muslim. Some Western strategic studies [3] therefore include it. The UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia includes both Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.
Some definitions are broader yet. Some [4] include what is now the Chinese province of Xinjiang, a predominantly Muslim area with a language related to Turkish, calling it "East Turkestan". Arguably, Mongolia and various other areas could be included as well.
References
- ↑ UN map of CentralAsia
- ↑ UN site Country list
- ↑ M.E. Ahrari with J. Beal (January 1996), The New Great Name in Muslim Central Asia, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University, McNair Paper Number 47
- ↑ Mark Dickens, The Transoxania Pages: Central Asian history, languages, literature and culture