r/AskCentralAsia

Almaty seems very isolated with the "Қазақ даласы", Gobi/Taklamakan desert, Caspian Sea and Tien Shan separating it from the major cities of the world.

For imported goods that need a port, how do they get to Almaty? Do they come by way of China and Russia? Has there been supply chain disruptions due to the "SVO"?

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for books (in English or Spanish) about the different peoples and cultures within the Russian Federation.

I'm not so much interested in books that focus solely on ethnic Russians, but rather on the many other ethnic groups that make up Russia. I'd love to learn more about their history, cultures, religions, languages, traditions, and how they fit into the broader history of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and modern Russia.

I'm especially interested in groups such as Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvash, Mari, Udmurts, Komis, Karelians, Mordvins (Erzya and Moksha), Buryats, Tuvans, Yakuts (Sakha), Kalmyks, Khakas, Altaians, Nenets, Khanty, Mansi, Evenks, Chukchi, Nivkhs, the peoples of the North Caucasus (Chechens, Ingush, Avars, Circassians, Ossetians, Lezgins, etc.), the indigenous peoples of Siberia and the Russian Far East, and other lesser-known communities.

I'm open to pretty much anything:

• academic books
• accessible nonfiction
• ethnographies
• history
• cultural studies
• regional overviews
• atlases or encyclopedic reference works

I'd especially appreciate books that take a broad look at Russia as a multiethnic state rather than focusing on a single group.

I'm also happy to receive recommendations for historical literature (fiction) if it's well researched and offers a good portrayal of any of these peoples or regions.

Bonus points if the book includes maps, illustrations, or discusses Russia's federal republics and autonomous regions.

Thanks in advance!

Hi, I am looking to do the Pamir highway with a friend (from Osh to Dushanbe or the other way around). Are there any tips that you have that we should be aware of beforehand? How safe is it? What's a good group size? And in general any things to consider that we might not have thought about?

We would be very grateful for any advice and also some help on finding a group to join or maybe sites that offer good expeditions as we don't want to do it alone.

Thank you!

Basically, what the title says. I am looking for any scientific work or at least a translation of sources that describe the administrative systems of central asian cities pre-colonization. It can be focused on just one singular city or describe a bunch of them. I am mostly interested in how cities would be organised, what kind of institutions and laws held place, what titles and hierarchy existed, etc. If there are works that focus on the life within cities itself, they'd be much appreciated too!

I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I’m curious how people from different backgrounds here see it.

As a Hazara, it often feels like we’re stuck in this weird in-between position where we’re connected to multiple groups, but not fully accepted by any of them.

On the Iranic side, culturally we’re very clearly part of that world. We speak Persian, we grow up with Hafez, Saadi, Rumi, it’s not something superficial, it’s literally how we think, joke, talk, everything. A lot of us feel genuine pride in that whole Persianate civilization. And genetically too, it’s not like we’re “outsiders” to it, Hazara DNA isn’t just Mongolic or Turkic, it’s a mix, and there’s a very real Iranic component in there.

But still, despite all that, there’s often this feeling that we’re not fully seen as part of the Iranic family. And let’s be honest, a lot of that comes down to how we look. So you end up in this situation where culturally and even partially genetically you’re aligned, but socially there’s still a barrier.

So then naturally, you look the other way toward the Turkic/Mongolic
side and think maybe that’s where the stronger connection is.

And this is where it gets even more confusing.
Because if we’re being real, Hazaras and Uzbeks (especially in Afghanistan) are extremely close. Not just historically, but genetically too. Pretty much every genetic breakdown I’ve seen puts Uzbeks among the closest groups to Hazaras in that region.
On top of that, there’s shared history: in the 90s civil war, Hazara and Uzbek groups literally fought side by side. That kind of thing sticks. It’s not just politics, it becomes part of how people see each other.

That’s why a lot of Hazaras genuinely feel a kind of brotherhood with Uzbeks. Like, we even have a specific word for them (Bola) meaning “cousin” and we don’t really use that for other groups.
But then you go online, and suddenly it feels like the opposite.

I’ve seen so many cases where Uzbeks go out of their way to distance themselves from Hazaras, like really emphasize “we’re not related,” “we’re completely different,” etc. And it’s weird, because it feels one-sided sometimes. From a Hazara perspective, there’s this sense of closeness (genetic + historical), but from the Uzbek side online, there’s often a push to separate.

And what’s even stranger is that this feels like an online thing. In real life, at least for me (grew up mostly around Tajiks and Pashtuns in Kabul), I didn’t even have enough interaction with Uzbeks to see that kind of strong rejection. So I don’t know if this is nationalism, internet identity politics, or just a loud minority.

At the same time, the group I’ve personally felt the most natural connection with has been Tajiks, especially from Takhar and Badakhshan.

Like, no overthinking, no identity debates, you just click. Same humor, same way of talking, same vibe. My closest friend in high school was a Takhari Tajik and it never even felt like we were from “different groups.” I’ve had that same experience with other Tajiks from the northeast.

What’s interesting is that this doesn’t even line up cleanly with religion. You’d think Hazaras (mostly Shia) would feel closest to Herati Tajiks (also Shia), but honestly, the connection with Sunni Tajiks from Takhar/Badakhshan often feels more natural. So clearly it’s not just about sect, it’s something deeper in shared everyday culture.

And then there’s Kazakhs, which is the most random part of this whole thing.
Most Hazaras don’t really have real-life interaction with Kazakhs. There’s no big shared history, no daily contact. But online? Completely different story. Almost every time I’ve interacted with Kazakhs, it’s been weirdly positive and open. No immediate “you’re not one of us,” no strong distancing, just curiosity and friendliness.

It’s honestly funny how that works.

So it makes me wonder if the whole “Iranic vs Turkic” way of dividing people in Central Asia is just too simple, especially for groups like Hazaras.

Anyway, I’m genuinely curious what others think:
Where do you personally place Hazaras, closer to Iranic, Turkic, Mongolian, mixed, or something else entirely?

Uzbeks here, why do you think there’s often this push to distance, especially online?

Tajiks, do you also feel that everyday similarity, or is that just my experience?

Kazakhs, why do you think interactions tend to feel more open?

Not trying to argue, just trying to understand how people see this from their side.

I'd appreciate your answers.

Hi! We're a couple looking for people to share transport (or a driver) in southeastern Kazakhstan between 6–9 July. We’d be happy to join an existing group or organize something together.

I’m posting this here as well because we’ll be crossing into Kazakhstan from Karakol in Kyrgyzstan, and I thought there might be other travellers doing the same route around those dates.

Our current plan is:

6 July
- Take the bus from Karakol to Almaty and get off at Kegen
- From there, continue to Saty (either by shared taxi or with a pre-arranged driver from Kegen or even from the Kyrgyz–Kazakh border)
- If we arrive early enough, visit Kolsai Lake in the afternoon

7 July
- Kaindy Lake, Charyn Canyon
- Continue to Basshi

8 July
- Altyn Emel National Park (Singing Dune + Aktau Mountains)
- Overnight in Basshi

9 July
Basshi → Almaty in the morning

If you’re travelling around the same time—even if only for part of the route—we’d love to share a car and split the costs.

I’ve already gathered some information about driver prices and rental car options, so I’m happy to help organize everything and share the details with anyone interested. Feel free to send me a message!

My (21F) Afghan girlfriend and I (25M) have been dating for just over a year.

I am a Canadian born Ismaili Muslim with my family coming from East Africa. My girlfriend and her family moved to Canada from Pakistan a few years after the pandemic and are also Ismaili.

The relationship is going great, we are both involved in our community jamatkhana and we see each other often through that. I am aware of the cultural difference between us; however, her older sister knows we are seeing each other and who knows maybe one day that can have an influence.

Apart from jamatkhana where we keep things discreet out of respect, we see each other once or twice a week and try and spend as much time as we can together.

Recently, her mom found a bikini beach picture of us and as expected she wants us to break up. Her sister also saw this picture as well. We have been intimate with one another, in fact we are each other’s first romantic and intimate
partners. They have asked her if we have been intimate and she said no.

We are deliberating what to do, we have talked about marriage in the past, and that we are not ready ourselves. It’s an unfortunate case of two people who are completely in love with one another, and I don’t really know how to proceed from here.

She is concerned with how her family/future will look like knowing that she is not a virgin, and she is scared that will ruin her life, or end up in a failed marriage when the spouse finds out she has had sex. Our intention was to date for the potential of marriage, we both have that long term outlook on each other, but now things have gotten complicated.

Although I said I am aware of the cultural difference I still have individual questions, and I don’t want her to feel like her life is ruined. I love her very much and will protect her image. The answers to these questions will help me deliberate what is best for myself and by extension us.

1. How hard is it for her to marry outside her culture, but within the same Islamic community? If it happens what are the consequences on her and her family?
2. What has happened in the case where an **Afghan couple** has dated and had sex before marriage? Are the consequences different for the men and women? Does this affect **the marriage?**
3. What has happened in the case where an **Afghan daughter or son** has dated and had sex before marriage? Are the consequences different for the men and women? How does this **affect the family?**

**TLDR: Afghan mother has found out about me dating her daughter, we do not know how to proceed. She is concerned with her image because she is no longer a virgin.**

Thank you and if there is anyone who has been through a similar situation and can provide me with guidance, I would greatly appreciate it.