Understanding Central Asia

Overview: Students may not be very familiar with the countries they are hearing about in the news today, namely the "stan" countries of Central Asia: Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.

Use these questions and activity to help students understand the political, social and economiccharacteristics of these countries and their significance in current world events.

Curriculum Connections: World History

1. Direct students to a map of Asia to observe the locations of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan. You may want to send them to the Holt, Rinehart and Winston's World Atlas map of Asia.

2. How has this region played a significant role throughout world history? What was the Silk Road? Which former superpower once dominated part of this region? What republics were once controlled by the Soviet Union? In what way did this region once resemble 19th Century colonial Africa?

3. How did the political map of the region change upon the collapse of the Soviet Union? Politically speaking, how have the five former Soviet Republics evolved compared to the political situation in Afghanistan?

Which former republics still face domestic conflict? Why are some of these nations supporting U.S. military efforts in the region?

4. Divide the class into groups and assign each group one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.

Have each group research its chosen country to learn more about its political system, economy, geography, history and culture. Have each group offer a ten to fifteen minutepresentation on its findings.

Discuss the significant position each of these countriesholds in the war on terrorism, and those elements that are providing the incentive for each nation to support or oppose the international anti-terrorism campaign.

As a class, construct a chart to compare and contrast these national elements. Make copies of the chart, and distribute them to students to refer to as they continue to follow the news in this region.