GEOGRAPHY
‣ LANDLOCKED REGION
‣ MOST COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION WERE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS
‣ ALL COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION ARE MUSLIM, EXCEPT MONGOLIA WHICH IS
MOSTLY BUDDHIST
‣ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL ASIA HAS STRUGGLED DUE TO THE
DIFFICULT TRANSITION FROM SOVIET-STYLE COMMAND ECONOMIES TO A
MORE MARKET-ORIENTED SYSTEM
‣ MANY OF THE CURRENT GOVERNMENTS ARE AUTHORITARIAN