World Geography

1. World Geography Chapter 22 The Caucasus and Central Asia

2. World Geography Chapter 22: The Caucasus and Central Asia Section 1: The Caucasus Nations Section 2: The Central Asian Nations

3. 1 The Caucasus Nations • Georgia • Armenia • Azerbaijan

4. 1 Georgia

5. 1 Georgia • Black Sea coast- subtropical climate supports the production of fruits, wine, tea, silk, and tobacco. • Eastern Georgia - continental climate supports production of grains and vegetables. • Northern Georgia- Minority ethnic groups in the have pressed for more autonomy, or independence. • Batumi, Georgia

6. Georgia’s Economy • The economy suffered after the fall of communism, and the GDP dropped by nearly three quarters. • Since the mid-1990s, the economy has improved through the development of its coal, petroleum, and natural gas industries. • T’bilisi, capitol of Georgia • Kulevi oil terminal

7. 1 Armenia • Armenia - small, mountainous, land-locked country. • The Armenians -ancient Indo-European people majority of Armenians are Orthodox Christians. • At the beginning of World War I -the Turks attempted to deport the entire Armenian population, and about one third of Armenia’s total population died en route or were massacred in an act of genocide. • Inspired by nationalism and religion, Armenians have fought with the predominantly Islamic Azeris in neighboring Azerbaijan. • In the early 1990s, conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has forced many refugees to flee the area..

9. Khor Virap Monastery at the foot of Mt. Ararat

10. 1 Azerbaijan Economic Problems • Conflict with Armenia has led to severe economic problems. • Azerbaijan - vast oil reserves near the Caspian Sea, area is prone to earthquakes. • Azerbaijan –No direct access to the Black or Mediterranean seas. • Attempts to build an oil pipeline have met with political resistance from Russia, which is wary of competition. Environmental Change • Petroleum and related chemical industries have caused environmental problems. • The Caspian Sea has been badly polluted by sewage and petroleum wastes for decades.. • Pollution has reduced the number of fish surviving in the Caspian Sea. • Other forms of pollution include air pollution and overuse of pesticides on farms. Almost half of the nation’s inhabitants live in rural areas, and the irrigated lowlands produce many agricultural goods.

11. Azerbijan • Polluted water in the Caspian Sea

12. 2 The Central Asian Nations • Kazakhstan • Uzbekistan • Turkmenistan • Tajikistan • Kyrgyzstan

13. When we think Kazakhstan… Do we think this guy?

14. 2 Physical Characteristics

15. 2 Physical Characteristics of Kazakhstan • The terrain varies considerably, from the mountains in the southeast to much flatter land in the west. • The climate of the region is mostly arid or semiarid, with precipitation ranging from 3 to 10 inches annually. • Two of Asia’s largest deserts, the Kara Kum and Kyzyl Kum, lie to the east of the Caspian Sea. • In northern Kazakhstan, the steppes create a rich topsoil called chernozem. • Parts of the region have large reserves of oil and natural gas.

16. 2 Kazaks People and Culture • The Central Asian countries are home to a mixture of peoples, and Russians form a large minority in several countries of the region. • Kazaks, Turkmen, Uzbeks, and Kyrgyz speak related Turkic languages, while the Tajiks speak a language related to Farsi, the language of Iran. • Many people also speak Russian, once the official language. • Most people in the region are Muslims. • The connection between these people and the Arabian core of Islam has traditionally been weak, intensified when the region was incorporated into the Soviet Union. • Religious connections between Muslims in Central Asia and those in Southwest Asia are not strong, and Soviet control made this difference more pronounced. • Since independence from the Soviet Union, some national leaders have called for a more open adoption of Islamic rules as the basis for their governments, but popular support for Islamic fundamentalism remains low. Turkmen girls in national dress Uzbeks Kyrgyzi, Northern Pamir Tajiks

17. 2 Economic Activities Many people in Central Asia traditionally were nomadic herders who lived in yurts, or portable round tents. Under the Soviet Union • People’s lives changed dramatically under Soviet control. • Nomadic peoples were forced to settle in villages and work on government farms. • Massive irrigation systems diverted waters from the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya rivers to grow cotton in the southern region. • The Soviet government encouraged industrial development in the cities. Since Independence • Industrial development spurred the growth of many cities. • Kazakh industries process farm products and mineral resources, while Uzbekistan is home to the region’s only significant aviation factory. • A larger share of the region’s people continues to live in rural areas, where farming and herding predominate. • Tourism is becoming economically important in the cities along the ancient Silk Road.

18. Tourism along the Silk Road

19. 2 Environmental Change • Rapid economic development resulted in environmental problems for the Central Asian countries, as elsewhere in the former Soviet Union. • Soviet planners developed a set of canals to divert fresh water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, so that cotton fields could be irrigated. • Although the region became a leading cotton producer, the project cause the Aral Sea to lose two thirds of its volume and become saltier. • The sand blown from the exposed seabed contributed to the desertification, or extension of the desert landscape, of the area. • Some experts predict that the entire Aral Sea will disappear by 2030. • Pesticides and fertilizers have left soil and water highly contaminated, and exposure to heavy doses of these chemicals has created serious health risks for workers.

20. The Death of the Aral Sea The amount of water the Aral Sea lost in 30 years (1960-1990) is the equivalent of completely draining Lakes Erie and Ontario. This is truly an environmental catastrophe.