Central Asian Integration: Specific Features of the Region

The article discusses specific features of the Central Asian (economic) integra- tion process within the five former republics of the USSR: Kazakhstan, Kyr- gyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The purpose of this study is to conceptualize the Central Asian (economic) integration, considering the specific regional features that distinguish it from other regions of the world.With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five republics of Central Asia gained independence from Russia without any effort or bloody struggle for liberation. The 250-year presence of Central Asia as part of Russia ended (counted from the moment of the accession of Kazakh zhuzes to the Russian Empire). Significantly, from the first days of conquering the territories of Cen- tral Asia (CA), the Russian Empire (and the USSR after it) pursued a policy of integrating the region. In this article, we consider possible shifts in integration paradigms in Central Asia. Our study prioritizes specific features of the Cen- tral Asian countries, as these features can influence the formation of regional integration within the five countries.