Asia, CENTRAL.

Asia, CENTRAL. This term is generally, in its geographical sense, used of the region lying between the Altai Mountains and the Persian Gulf, and includes part of Siberia, all Turkestan, Afghanistan, Beluchistan, and part of Persia. An earlier usage—that of Humboldt—gave this name to the khanates of Bokhara and Independent Tartary. In Russian official language, Central Asia is an administrative division of the empire lying to the SW. of Siberia, and comprising, with part of what used to be called Siberia, the recent Russian annexations in Turkestan. Russian Central Asia is divided into the governments of Akmolinsk, Semipalatinsk, Turgai, Uralsk, Semirechinsk, Sir-daria, Zarafshan, Amu-daria, the Trans-Caspian territory, and Ferghana. The total area is given at 1,201,000 sq. m., and the pop. at 4,390,000. For the physical geography of the region, see ASIA; see also TURKESTAN, SIBERIA, KHOKAND, &c.