Afghanistan
AfghanistanPakistanUzbekistanIranKazakhstanAfghanistan📌 Why in News?
For examination purposes, Central Asia generally refers to five former Soviet republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Country Capital Important feature Kazakhstan Astana Largest Central Asian country; major uranium producer Kyrgyz Republic Bishkek Mountainous; Tian Shan range Tajikistan Dushanbe Pamir region; borders Afghanistan Turkmenistan Ashgabat Major natural-gas reserves Uzbekistan Tashkent Most centrally located; major political and demographic centre Uzbekistan has a particularly interesting geographical distinction: it is double-landlocked
- every country surrounding it is itself landlocked. The only other double-landlocked sovereign state is Liechtenstein.
Syllabus & Relevance
Paper: GS-2
Theme: Polity & Governance
Static Foundation
The Aral Sea, another frequent Prelims topic, lies principally between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
It suffered one of the world's most dramatic examples of inland-water shrinkage after large quantities of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya waters were diverted for irrigation during the Soviet period.
Central Asia occupies a strategic position between Russia, China, Iran, Afghanistan and the Caspian region, making it a bridge between Europe and Asia.
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