About Central Asia

Central Asia comprises five countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries attained their independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and pursued their own paths toward nation-building and self-determination in the international arena as independent states. Central Asia is located in the heart of the Eurasian continent and has extensive untapped reserves of gas and oil, as well as coal, chrome, zinc, and uranium. Those natural resources have attracted the attention of China, the USA, Russia, and the European Union, which all pursue different interests and have different influences in the region. As a relatively young region with only thirty years of independent history, Central Asia is still forming its complex political systems and societies. The region continues to undergo political readjustment from the old socialist policies of the Soviet Union to new democratic systems. These systems are often subject to high levels of authoritarian rule and corruption in both business and politics. In the international arena, Central Asian republics have unflattering reputations when it comes to human rights, freedom of expression, suppressive legislation that limits the operation of its civil societies, torture, and persecutions, as well as many other issues.