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school somewhere in central asia

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War with Central Asian armies/empires

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this a yurt

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Textiles are among Central Asia's best-known art forms.

Sheep, goats, and other animals grow long hair that is excellent for weaving

into carpets.

Like other cultural crossroads, Central Asia has varied food traditions. The farming

way of life provides bread and rice dishes.

Communism limited personal freedoms, but the Soviet system did stress education

and health care.

State-run schools replaced education in Islamic schools. The results of widely available

public services have continued in post-Soviet period. Literacy rates are well above world averages.

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Almost 2/3 of Central Asians speak a Turkic language

About 30% of the world's 215 million speakers of turkic languages live Central

Asians. 4 major Turkic language are represented in the region.

Russian is the main language and ethnic identity for a sizable minority of Central

Asians. Russian is the official language, but the language and culture are dying.

Traders and conquerors brought many religions to Central Asia, Islam is the main

religion.

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Under the czars, Russia conquered and colonized central Asia in the mid-1800s. As the Soviet Union collapsed

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Almost 2/3 of Central Asians speak a Turkic language

About

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The 5 Central Asian countries lie in a region sometimes called Turkistan.

Turkic languages and ethnic groups have long dominated the area.

Turkic heritage is still strong in the region today.

Irrigated farming was traditional way of life in the region's southern areas.

A large segment of the north's population was made up of nomads.

Nomads are people who move often from place to place.

The region's nomads moved herds from mountain pastures in the summer

to lowland pastures in the winter, this is called transhumance.

Unique homes, called yurts, made moving with the herds possible.

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Turkic-speaking peoples established kingdoms in Central Asia in the A.D. 600s. Not long after, Chinese armies conquered the region. Beginning in 1218 Mongols from farther east, led by Genghis Khan, began a 200-year rule of Central Asia. The Mongols destroyed many cities and irrigation systems.

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Humans have lived in Central Asia for thousands of years. In fact, many migrant people and invaders have left their imprint on the region's history and cultures. For a while, parts of the area belonged to the Persian Empire.