Central Asia starts from the Caspian Sea in the west, borders China in the east, Russia in the north and Iran and Afghanistan in the south, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In 1992, China established diplomatic relations with five Central Asian countries.
Central Asian countries are located in the center of the Eurasian continent, which is the only place where the ancient Silk Road passes, crossing China and the West, connecting the North and the South, where Chinese and foreign goods circulate, and where eastern and western civilizations meet. Nowadays, in the ancient and vast land of Central Asia, the Silk Road is shining again.
Kazakhstan: Hometown of Wild Tulips
As the largest landlocked country in the world, Kazakhstan spans two continents, Asia and Europe, with a vast territory and a sparse population. Kazakhstan has a land area of 2,724,900 square kilometers, ranking ninth in the world. By the beginning of March 2023, the population of Kazakhstan exceeded 19.8 million. The capital of Kazakhstan is Astana, the national language is Kazakh, and Russian and Kazakh are both official languages. Kazakhstan is the pioneer and important hub of the Silk Road Economic Belt.
This is the urban landscape of Astana (then known as Nur Sultan) in Kazakhstan, which was shot on September 9, 2022. Xinhua News Agency reporter Lu Jinbo photo
Kazakhstan is regarded as the hometown of wild tulips, and most tulip varieties in the world originate from Kazakhstan, which is an important reason why Kazakhstan has designated it as the national flower. Kazakhs attach great importance to the protection of wild tulips. There are more than 30 kinds of wild tulips in Kazakhstan, 18 of which are recognized as endangered species and listed in the "Red Book" of protection list. If the wild tulips listed in the list are illegally harvested, the most serious penalty is 3 years’ imprisonment. Being associated with tulips adds romance to this country.
The residents of Kazakhstan are composed of about 130 ethnic groups, including Kazakhs, Russians, Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Germans and Tatars, among which Kazakhs account for 70.6% and Russians account for 15.1%. The residents mainly believe in Islam and Orthodox Church.
On March 22nd, 2023, various cultural and sports activities were held in Astana to celebrate the Na Urus Festival. NaUrus Festival (also known as Nowruz Festival) is one of the most important traditional festivals in Central Asian countries, marking the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Ospanov)
Due to the specific natural conditions and social environment, the people of Kazakhstan have unique customs and customs. Kazakhs are good at singing and dancing, and all kinds of cultural and sports activities, such as playing, dancing, kicking shuttlecock, etc., are popular every holiday, and various competitions such as falcon, horse racing, wrestling, chasing girls, grabbing sheep, wrestling at once and archery are also held. Kazakhs worship wolf totem, and myths about wolves are widely circulated among the people.
The traditional foods of Kazakhs are pasta, horse meat, horse milk and camel milk. The most common drink is milk tea. The national dish is "Bieshi Bahrmark", which means "Five Fingers". The main ingredients are boiled horse meat with salted noodles smeared with oil, which is a local special food on holidays. In the severe winter, many people living in the cold areas in the north eat horse meat to resist the cold.
Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan. There is a street named after China musician Xian Xinghai, and there is a street named after Kazakhstan musician Baikadamov not far away. Two parallel streets record the friendship between two musicians during the war. Through time, the touching stories of the two musicians have been passed down from generation to generation.
2024 is the year of Kazakh tourism in China. Kazakhstan is rich in tourism resources, and the most famous scenic spot in the southern region is Chalun Canyon. The best tourist destination in the western region is Karadji Ye Depression, which is the second lowest place in the world, and the Caspian Sea is located here. In Kazakhstan at the northern foot of Tianshan Mountain, about 50 kilometers away from Almaty, it is an important site on the Silk Road — — Lachart site attracts the attention of archaeologists from China and Kazakhstan.
There are many historical sites in Kazakhstan, including the mausoleum of Hoza Ahmet Yasavi, which is one of the most famous historical sites in Kazakhstan and a representative of medieval architectural art in Central Asia. Tangbala rock painting, which is the first historic site in Central Asia to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List; The remains of Tass Palace in akol, full of mystery and historical secrets; Zarkent Mosque with Chinese style, a large wooden building complex, does not use a nail.
Kyrgyzstan: "Little Switzerland"
The beautiful natural environment, mountains and lakes make Kyrgyzstan win the reputation of "Little Switzerland in Central Asia", attracting millions of tourists from all over the world every year.
Kyrgyzstan has a land area of 199,900 square kilometers, mountainous territory with an average elevation of 2,750 meters, and 90% of its territory is above 1,500 meters above sea level, with a continental climate. By April 2023, the population of Kyrgyzstan was about 7 million. There are more than 80 ethnic groups in China, and more than 80% of the residents believe in Islam. Kyrgyz is the national language and Russian is the official language. Bishkek, the capital, located in the Chu River Valley, is a famous city in Central Asia, and now it is the largest city in China with a population of over one million.
On June 11, 2019, in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, a rainbow appeared over Victory Square after the rain (photographed by mobile phone). Xinhua News Agency reporter Fei Maohua photo
Tourists who come to Kyrgyzstan often want to visit the "guardian of heaven in Kyrgyzstan" — — Issyk, L. It is a famous summer resort in Central Asia, with a length of 182 kilometers, a width of 61 kilometers, an area of more than 6,000 square kilometers, and the deepest part of the lake reaches 702 meters, making it the second largest alpine lake in the world.
This is the autumn color along Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan (photo taken on October 26th, 2012). Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gangshe
Lake Issyk-Kul means "warm lake" in Kyrgyz. It is not frozen all year round and the lake is clear and transparent. Fantasy and mystery are the words most used by people who have been to Lake Issyk-Kul to describe it. Standing by the lake, the blue and wide lake is like the sea. The snow-capped mountains on the south bank are like a mirage in the clouds. Sunlight shines from the cracks in the clouds on the lake, and the lake is blue and green, like a jewel that blends with each other.
In 2011, the reporter visited Calabor Yi Village on the north bank of Lake Issyk. There is a little-known museum of ancient rock paintings in the village, and local researchers are convinced that one of the stones is also carved with a portrait of China and Zhang Qian when he went to the Western Regions in the Han Dynasty.
Tajikistan: the "country of mountains" where eagles fly.
Tajikistan is located in the southeast of Central Asia, bordering China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, Uzbekistan in the west and Kyrgyzstan in the north, with a land area of 143,100 square kilometers, making it the smallest country in Central Asia. Tajikistan is known as the "country with high mountains", and its territory is mountainous, with a mountainous area exceeding 90% of its land area.
On April 12, 2019, several men took a group photo with their mobile phones in Yawan District, Hadron Prefecture, 70 kilometers away from Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Xueyu photo
Thanks to abundant mountain melting snow and huge terrain difference, Tajikistan is rich in hydraulic resources, ranking eighth in the world in terms of reserves and ranking first in the world in terms of per capita possession. The Fichenko Glacier, located in central Tajikistan, has a total length of more than 70 kilometers and a maximum thickness of about 1000 meters. It is the longest glacier in the world except the Antarctic and the Arctic. The tower is rich in precious metals such as lead, zinc, tungsten, gold, silver, tin and copper, as well as mineral resources such as oil, natural gas, halite, boron and coal.
Tajikistan is a multi-ethnic country with more than 80 ethnic groups, and its population exceeded 10 million in July 2022. Among them, Tajiks account for about 80%, Uzbeks account for about 15% and Russians account for about 1%. More than 80% of the residents believe in Islam. Tajik is the national and official language, and Russian is the language of inter-ethnic communication.
People visit Guisard Castle in Guisard, west of Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, on June 12, 2019. Xinhua News Agency reporter Shadati photo
The word "Tajik" originally meant a person wearing a crown or a member of an aristocratic family. Tajiks worship eagles, which symbolize courage and heroism. Tajiks like white and green, thinking that white is pure and clean, and green symbolizes happiness and beauty.
Interestingly, in the history of Tajikistan, villages and cities are often named after the day of the week, because it can make people in the past know what day of the week a large market will be held here. Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, means in Tajik that on Monday, the population of the city exceeded one million.
Turkmenistan: "The Crossroads of Seven Roads on Earth"
Turkmenistan is a landlocked country located in the southwest of Central Asia, bordering Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the north and northeast, facing the Caspian Sea in the west and Azerbaijan and Russia across the sea, bordering Iran in the south and Afghanistan in the southeast. The capital is Ashgabat.
This is the independence column in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. Xinhua News Agency reporter Lu Jingli photo
Turkmenistan covers an area of 491,200 square kilometers, about 80% of which is covered by Karakum Desert. With a population of more than 6 million, it consists of more than 120 ethnic groups, of which Turkmen account for 94.7%, and the vast majority of residents believe in Islam.
Turkmenistan is extremely rich in natural gas resources and is known as the "country of blue gold". Because of the "gas", spontaneous leakage of underground natural gas in Turkmenistan, blowout in oil and gas operations and other "gas leakage" phenomena are common. Dawaza natural gas pit, located in the center of Karakum desert, is the most serious place of "gas leakage", and it is also the legendary "Hell Gate". Viewed from the air, this pothole is like a huge crater, with a diameter of about 70 meters and a depth of about 20 meters. Boiling mud and bright orange flames rise from the abyss, as if the devil would jump out of it at any time, so the locals named it "Hell’s Gate".
Ashgabat, the capital, is known as the city of marble. In this city, a large number of building facades, including government offices, are inlaid with white marble. Against the background of white marble, the city surrounded by desert looks neat and bright. Ashgabat is also known as the "Fountain Capital", where water is more expensive than oil, but the fountain landscape can be seen everywhere.
Turkmen people’s living customs have distinctive ethnic characteristics. Most people are used to eating spices such as pepper, onion, fennel and mint. Traditional foods include hand-picked rice, grilled naan, barbecue and braised naan in broth. Turkmenistan people like to eat grapes, melons and other local fruits, as well as dried apricots, raisins and walnuts. Tea is the main beverage in Turkmenistan, and camel milk is often used to cool off in summer.
The region where Turkmenistan is located was once one of the important centers of Central Asian civilization. It is the only place where the painted pottery road, the glass road, the golden road road, the lapis lazuli road, the grassland road, the spice road and the bronze road pass. It is known as the "crossroads of seven roads on earth" on the Silk Road.
The return train of China-Europe train loaded with raw materials of Turkmenistan licorice Chinese herbal medicine arrived at Xi ‘an International Port Station (photo taken on August 31, 2022, photo of drone). Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yibo photo
Historically, China and Turkey have formed close commercial, economic and cultural ties. According to the historical narrative of Turkmen people, many centuries ago, they exchanged tea, silkworm eggs, silk and porcelain with Chinese through the Silk Road with Akhal Jiejinma (bloody BMW) and Arabica (Central Asian Shepherd Dog). It is worth mentioning that the Arable Dog and Akhal Jiejinma are national symbols of Turkmenistan, and the image of Akhal Jiejinma is drawn in the center of Turkmenistan’s national emblem.
Uzbekistan: "Four Gold Countries"
Uzbekistan is a "double landlocked country" located in the hinterland of Central Asia, that is, it has no seaport and its five neighboring countries are all landlocked. With a land area of 448,900 square kilometers, it is bordered by Afghanistan in the south, Kazakhstan in the north and northeast, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the east and southeast, and Turkmenistan in the west, with an arid continental climate.
Up to now, the population of Uzbekistan is 36.28 million. There are more than 130 ethnic groups in Uzbekistan, of which more than 80% are Uzbek, and other ethnic groups include Tajik and Russian. Most residents believe in Islam. Uzbek is the official language of the country and Russian is the lingua franca.
This is the urban landscape of Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, taken on June 4, 2021. Xinhua News Agency (photo by zafar)
Uzbekistan is rich in resources and is known as the "country of four gold". The pillar industries of the national economy are "four gold": gold, "platinum" (cotton), "black gold" (oil) and "blue gold" (natural gas).
Uzbekistan is the country with the richest silk road cultural heritage in Central Asia, with many ancient cultural cities, among which Tashkent, Samarkand, Shahristabuz, Shiva and Bukhara are dotted with pearls. The ancient and mysterious silk road temperament is attracting more and more tourists.
Entering Uzbekistan is like entering just visiting. Every scenic spot is engraved with traces of time, and every scenic spot is telling a thousand-year history. If you want to appreciate the mythical country depicted in Arabian Nights in reality, Uzbekistan may be the best choice.
On September 3, 2022, people visited Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Xinhua news agency
Samarkand, which means "fertile land", is the second largest city in Uzbekistan and one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. Samarkand has a history of more than 2,500 years. It was once the capital of the Timur Empire. At its peak, it was the political, economic, scientific and cultural center of Central Asia. It is also an important town of the ancient Silk Road, and it was the only place to travel from China to India, Arabia and Europe. There are many historical sites in the city, such as palaces, tombs, mosques and monasteries.
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, is also an important hub on the ancient Silk Road, where China’s ancient Zhang Qian, Faxian and Xuanzang all left footprints. Delicious fruit, vibrant urban landscape, always bustling bazaar, hospitable people … … Tashkent always leaves a good impression. If you come to Uzbekistan on March 21st, you can also feel the lively atmosphere of Naurus Festival.
Chief planner: Yuan Bingzhong
Planning: Ni Siyi Fan Weiguo Li Zhongfa
Producer: Feng Junyang
Coordinator: Yan Jue Yan Lin Xiaochun
Reporter: Liu Kai, Li Ao, Guan Jianwu, Geng Pengyu, Hua Di and Zhang Jiye
Photography: Lu Jinbo Cai Guodong Bai Xueqi Lu Jingli Li Yibo Ospanov Fei Maohua Li Gang Shadati zafar
Editor: Zhao Yan Zhou Liang Wang Yujue Chen Dan Lu Yu
Produced by Xinhua News Agency International Department
