The expression Central Asia thus includes the following countries. (A) West Turkestan, comprising the Tian-Shan highlands, the Balkash plains, and the Aral-Caspian lowlands, politically divided into Russian Turkestan (the general-governorship of Turkestan and the Aral-Caspian slope of Turgai and Akmolinsk), the Chinese oasis of Kulja (Kuldja), the Transcaspian region, Khiva, Bokhara and its vassal khanates, and parts of Afghan Turkestan. (B) East Turkestan, comprising the Tarim region as far east as Lob-Nor. (C) Dzungaria, limited on the north-east by the Tarbagatai, Altai-Nauru, Irdyn-ula, and Artsa-bogdo Mountains.
Map of East and West Turkestan.[1]
West Turkestan.
General physical features.
As comprised within the above limits, West Turkestan has an area of nearly 1,680,000 square miles, and a population of nearly 8,500,000.[2] It presents a very great variety of aspects, including the lonely plateau of Pamir, in height second only to that of Tibet; the immense complex of alpine tracts described under the general name of Tian-Shan (three times as long as the Alps of Europe), which lift their snow-clad peaks four and nearly five miles above the sea, and feed huge glaciers, while their deep valleys and gorges partake of almost every variety of climate and vegetation; rich prairies and still wider lowlands descending below the level of the ocean; and deserts where the winds, burning hot or icy, but always dry, have free scope to modify the surface, which is bare of vegetation.
Highland region.
- ↑ See also the following maps:—Himalaya, vol. xi. Pl. XVI.; Siberia, vol. xxii. Pl. I.; and Tibet, Pl. IV. above.
- ↑ Separate portions of it are described under Afghanistan, Bokhara, Khiva, Oxus, Syr-Daria, Semipalatinsk, Semiryetchensk, Transcaspian Region, Zerafshan.
which narrows to the east of Lob-Nor and terminates about Añ-si, some 4800 feet above sea-level.