Where is Mongolia?, in central asia or not? Options

[Anda]

When i was in school, i was taught Mongolia is in Central Asia.
Nowadays, any news about Central Asia is about former Soviet republics.- Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, also maybe Afghanis. It seems Mongolia is not there. Then i think maybe Mongolia is east asian country, but that was not true. Korea, Manchuria, Japan , Russian Far East is east Asia....

Are we north asians? Again nobody refer Mongolia as North Asia, actually there is no term like North Asian, except Sibirians

Where we are now?

[han2]

Well, here's one interpretation...

According to CIA's The World Factbook, Mongolia is located in "Northern Asia" between China and Russia:

The World Factbook

[Anda]

Well, here's one interpretation...

According to CIA's The World Factbook, Mongolia is located in "Northern Asia" between China and Russia:

The World Factbook

So then Mongolia is only North Asian country, if Russia is considered as European power. So Mongolians are North Asians, Northerners

This post has been edited by Anda: May 13 2006, 04:12 PM

[han2]

So then Mongolia is only North Asian country, if Russia is considered as European power. So Mongolians are North Asians, Northerns

Not sure, but you're probably right, since Russia owns all of Siberia.

[TeNGRiKuT]

i dislike saying central asia. because it's a word from soivets. it is orginally soviet's central asia. but neither khazakistan, nor mongolia is belonged to russia. so we don't need to call there central asia.

[Anda]

i dislike saying central asia. because it's a word from soivets. it is orginally soviet's central asia. but neither khazakistan, nor mongolia is belonged to russia. so we don't need to call there central asia.

SO do you consider Kazahstan as North Asian state? That is also possible Mongolia and Kazakhstan located at the same lattitude

[SantaKlaws]

I'd go with the UNESCO definition.

[GokTurk]

i dislike saying central asia. because it's a word from soivets. it is orginally soviet's central asia. but neither khazakistan, nor mongolia is belonged to russia. so we don't need to call there central asia.

Central Asia is not a Soviet term, but a common geographical term for that region.

SO do you consider Kazahstan as North Asian state? That is also possible Mongolia and Kazakhstan located at the same lattitude

I wouldn't, simply because only part of Kazakhstan is located in North Asia (Siberia, Altay), there is a portion of it is also located in Europe, and the major part in Central Asia.

North Asia seems right when it comes to Mongolia.

Not sure, but you're probably right, since Russia owns all of Siberia.

Not all, but most of it. Part of Siberia is in Kazakhstan.

There has been some modern reclassification of certain regions such as Republic of Georgia, which was considered a part of Middle East, but now it is listed as Europe, Egypt is listed not as Middle Eastern country, but North African.

This post has been edited by GokTurk: May 14 2006, 11:28 PM

[Subedey]

You guys are coming up with some interesting points about something I've never cared to pay attention. First of all, I don't see why Mongolia needs to be categorized. If it is to be, then I'd rather stick with the UN interpretation just for the sake of having to put it in box.

Geographically speaking, a good 2/3 of it is located in East Asia. However, the westernmost provinces are somewhat in Central Asia, especially Bayan-Ulgy with its heavy Kazakh presence.

Sociopolitically, we have very minimal to be classified East Asian. Like it or not, but we just aren't. There have been little interaction with East Asia up until the collapse of the Iron Curtain.

Culturally, I won't land far from the truth if I said Central Asian. It doesn't mean Kazakhs are like Mongols or vice versa for that matter. But there's just more in common and not many will oppose that.

So it's all about your priorities...

[Bitterlemon]

We are in the heart of Asia