Demographics of Central Asia

Demographics of Central Asia
The nations which make up Central Asia are five of the former Soviet republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, which have a total population of about million. Afghanistan is not always considered part of the region, but when it is, Central Asia has a total population of about 122 million (2016); Mongolia and Xinjiang (part of China) is also sometimes considered part of Central Asia due to its Central Asian cultural ties and traditions, although geographically it is East Asian. Most central Asians belong to religions which were introduced to the area within the last 1,500 years, such as Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Ismaili Islam, Tengriism and Syriac Christianity (mostly East Syriac). Buddhism, however, was introduced to Central Asia over 2,200 years ago, and Zoroastrianism, over 2,500 years ago.
Ethnic groups
The below are demographic data on the ethnic groups in Central Asia
Genetic history
Paleolithic and pre-Neolithic Central Asia were initially populated by a distinct population known as "Ancient North Eurasians", and linked to the Botai culture as well as the early Tarim mummies. Bronze Age Central Asia was populated by a mostly West-Eurasian Iranian-speaking peoples, as well as a minority of Paleosiberian peoples. Since the Iron Age, significant migrations from Eastern Asia and South Central Siberia took place, mostly associated with the expansion of Mongolic and Turkic peoples from a region corresponding to modern day Mongolia, transforming Central Asia from a region with largely West-Eurasian ancestry into the mostly Turkic-speaking groups of the present day, who are primarily of East Asian ancestry.
An analysis of matrilineal DNA lineages of Iron Age human remains from the Altai region found evidence of a mixture of West Eurasian and East Asian maternal lineages. Prior to the Iron Age, all ancient maternal lineages in the Altai region were of West Eurasian origin, however Iron Age specimens show that Western Eurasian lineages were reduced by 50%, and East Asian lineages increased by 50%. The authors suggested that the rise of East Asian mtDNA lineages likely happened within the Iron Age Scythian period.
The ancestry of modern Central Asian populations is significantly derived from later Indo-Iranian and Turkic populations. Populations of farmers and nomadic pastoralists coexisted in Central Asia since the Chalcolithic (4th millennium BC). The two groups differ markedly in descent structure, as pastoralists are organized in exogamous patrilineal clan structures, while farmers are organized in extended families practicing endogamy (cousin marriage). As a consequence, pastoralists have a significantly reduced diversity in patrilineal descent (Y-chromosome) compared to farmers.
The Kyrgyz people derive a significant part of their ancestry from East Asian-related populations (c. 59.3–69.8%), as well as from Iranian-related sources. Modern Iranian-speaking Central Asians have less Northeast Asian ancestry (7.7–17.1%). Ancestry related to the earliest inhabitants, the Ancient North Eurasians, is still found in low amounts among modern day Central Asians.
Mongolian ancestry is shared by some groups in Central Asia, specifically the Kazakhs, who also carry additional West Eurasian ancestry from a Western Steppe Herder source.
Religion
See also
Indo-Aryan migration hypothesis
Turkic migration
History of the Jews in Central Asia
Bibliography
Guarino-Vignon, P., Marchi, N., Bendezu-Sarmiento, J. et al. Genetic continuity of Indo-Iranian speakers since the Iron Age in southern Central Asia. Sci Rep 12, 733 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04144-4
References
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chuan-Chao_Wang
https://synaptic.bio/publications/8629
Central Asian culture
History of Central Asia