Ethnicities around the world (beta)

Central Asian people trace their origins to the nomadic ethnic groups who roamed the steppes of Central Asia along the Silk Road trade route between Europe and Asia. The Huns and Mongols (with their infamous leader Genghis Khan) swept over the desert landscape of northern Central Asia to conquer new territory and expand their respective empires. Later Turkic cultures dominated in the north of the region, while Persian-influenced cultures exerted power over the south, including modern-day Afghanistan. Due to the arid conditions of the steppe, few permanent cities were established in the region in ancient times, and instead a nomadic horse culture continued to dominate for millennia. Traditional nomadic Kazakhs continue to live in yurts, raise domesticated eagles for hunting, and combine traditional shamanistic beliefs with the practice of Islam.