Silk road cities were major slave trade centers since antiquity. Mongol Empire created connected markets between Asia and Europe. Khiva and Bukhara were among world's biggest slave markets in 19th century. Central Asian slave markets ended with Russian conquest in 1870s
Türgesh was a Turkic tribal confederation from Western Turkic On Oq elites. First khagan Wuzhile established independent power in 699. Two sub-tribes existed: Yellow Sarï Türgesh and Black Qara Türgesh
Kangju was a Chinese name for a kingdom in Central Asia during first millennium CE. Name likely derived from Sogdiana, possibly meaning "Peaceful Land". People were Indo-European, spoke Eastern Iranian language
Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, surrounded by five other countries. Scythians settled in region in first millennium BC, building irrigation systems. Cities like Bukhara and Samarqand emerged as centers of government and culture. Region was ruled by Hindu kings for centuries, including Kushan dynasty
Current population is 10,668,049 (July 2024 UN estimate). Population growth rate from 2019 to 2020 was 2.32%. Fertility rate is 3.61 births per woman. Median age is 22.4 years
USSR was established in 1922 with four founding republics. By 1956, USSR had 15 republics. Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, all republics became independent