Central Asia

General region which was an Asiatic political entity of the Russian Empire (Steppes and Russian Turkestan). Following the Bolshevik revolution, it became Soviet Republics of Russian Turkestan (Kirghiz, Tadzhik, Turkmen, Uzbek and Kazakh SSRs). Today, it is most commonly defined as the region consisting of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. Geopolitically, it may also include Afghanistan.