Central Asia 

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Latest news on Central Asia, covering the five Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, their capitals Astana, Tashkent, Bishkek, Dushanbe and Ashgabat, and cities such as Almaty, Shymkent, Osh, Samarkand, Namangan, Khujand and Nukus, plus the Silk Road, Middle Corridor, C5+1 diplomacy, the Caspian Sea, the Aral Sea, energy, water and security.

Central Asia is a landlocked region of around 80 million people between Russia, China, Iran and Afghanistan. Its five states became independent after the Soviet Union ended in 1991. Kazakhstan is the largest by area and economy, while Uzbekistan has the most people. Astana was called Nur-Sultan from 2019 to 2022.

Moscow, Beijing, Washington, Brussels, Ankara and the Gulf states all compete for influence here. Interest centres on oil, gas, uranium and critical minerals, and on the Middle Corridor trade route across the Caspian Sea that bypasses Russia. The region also takes part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Eurasian Economic Union and the C5+1 format with the United States.

Water is the region's defining challenge. The Aral Sea has shrunk dramatically since the 1960s, glaciers are retreating and the Caspian Sea is falling. Disputes over the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, the Rogun dam and Afghanistan's Qosh Tepa canal continue. In 2025 Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed a border treaty ending one of the region's most dangerous disputes.

Politics is closely watched. Kazakhstan has rewritten its constitution and moved to a single-chamber parliament, while Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan also have strong presidencies. Rights groups criticise limits on media freedom and opposition, and Turkmenistan remains one of the world's most closed states. Governments point to stability, reform and rising investment.

Culture runs deep, from nomadic traditions, yurts and eagle hunting to the Nowruz spring festival. Timur made Samarkand his capital in the 14th century, and Bukhara and Khiva preserve Silk Road architecture. Russian expansion in the 19th century and Soviet rule brought cotton monocultures, the Baikonur spaceport and nuclear testing at Semipalatinsk. Many families now rely on money sent home by migrant workers.

Our NewsNow feed on Central Asia brings together the latest headlines from reliable sources on all five states. It gives a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of politics, economy, energy and daily life, so Central Asia news is easy to follow.