Central Asian in the context of "Turkic migration"

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⭐ Core Definition: Central Asian

Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian suffix "-stan" (meaning 'land') in both respective native languages and most other languages. The region is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the southwest, European Russia to the northwest, China and Mongolia to the east, Afghanistan and Iran to the south, and Siberia to the north. Together, the five Central Asian countries have a total population of around 76 million.

In the pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras (c. 1000 and earlier) Central Asia was inhabited predominantly by Iranian peoples, populated by Eastern Iranian-speaking Bactrians, Sogdians, Chorasmians, and the semi-nomadic Scythians and Dahae. As the result of Turkic migration, Central Asia also became the homeland for the Kazakhs, Kyrgyzs, Tatars, Turkmens, Uyghurs, and Uzbeks; Turkic languages largely replaced the Iranian languages spoken in the area, with the exception of Tajikistan and areas where Tajik is spoken.

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Central Asian in the context of Alevism

Alevism (/æˈlɛvɪzəm/; Turkish: Alevilik; Kurdish: Elewîtî), also known as Qizilbashism, is a syncretic and mystic tradition, formulated by Haji Bektash Veli. It is generally agreed that it is akin to a Sufi rendition of Twelver Shi'ism that integrates Central Asian shamanic elements, though some dissenting voices base the Alevi belief squarely in a non-denominational, heterodox Anatolian Islam instead. They acknowledge the six articles of faith of Islam, but may differ regarding their interpretation. Lack of gender segregation in ritual contexts and clergy, is one of the key features that sets Alevism apart from Muslim orthodoxy.

Although the main order amongst Alevis, the Bektashi order, were appointed as the military chaplains until the Auspicious Incident; historical Qizilbash affiliation created political rifts which caused them to be persecuted both in Ottoman and modern Turkish regimes, being described as heterodox to contrast them with the "orthodox" Sunni majority.

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Central Asian in the context of East Asian people

The ancestral population of modern Asian people has its origins in the two primary prehistoric settlement centres – greater Southwest Asia and from the Mongolian plateau towards Northern China.

Migrations of distinct ethnolinguistic groups have probably occurred as early as 10,000 years ago. However, around 2,000 BCE early Iranian speaking people and Indo-Aryans arrived in Iran and northern Indian subcontinent. Pressed by the Mongols, Turkic peoples often migrated to the western and northern regions of the Central Asian plains. Prehistoric migrants from South China and Southeast Asia seem to have populated East Asia, Korea and Japan in several waves, where they gradually replaced indigenous people, such as the Ainu, who are of uncertain origin. Austroasiatic and Austronesian people establish in Southeast Asia between 5.000 and 2.000 BCE, partly merging with, but eventually displacing the indigenous Australo-Melanesians.

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Central Asian in the context of Chionites

Xionites, Chionites, or Chionitae (Middle Persian: Xiyōn or Hiyōn; Avestan: X́iiaona-; Sogdian xwn; Pahlavi Xyōn) were a nomadic people in the Central Asian regions of Transoxiana and Bactria.

The Xionites appear to be synonymous with the Huna peoples of the South Asian regions of classical/medieval India, and possibly also the Huns of European late antiquity, who were in turn connected onomastically to the Xiongnu in Chinese history.

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Central Asian in the context of Abu'l-Khayr Khan

Abu'l-Khayr Khan (Turki/Kypchak and Persian: ابو الخیر خان; c. 1412–1468), also known as Bulgar Khan, was Khan of the Uzbek Khanate from 1428 to 1468, which united the nomadic Central Asian tribes.

He created one of the largest and most powerful Turkic states during the period of the 15th century. The Uzbek Khanate weakened in the decades following his death in 1468. He was succeeded by his son Sheikh Khaidar.

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Central Asian in the context of Vakhsh (river)

The Vakhsh (/ˈvækʃ/ VAKSH; Tajik and Russian: Вахш), also known as the Surkhob (Tajik: Сурхоб) in north-central Tajikistan and as the Kyzyl-Suu (Kyrgyz: Кызыл-Суу) in Kyrgyzstan, is a Central Asian river and one of the main rivers of Tajikistan. It is a tributary of the Amu Darya river.

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