Month: 
Between nationalist populism and neoliberalism: Kyrgyzstan and global political trends
ANALYSIS. The political landscape of Kyrgyzstan was tumultuous in 2020. Novastan Deutsch’s founder and editorial manager Florian Coppenrath analyses Sadyr Japarov’s path to the top and ventures an outlook on… [...]
After a round of kok-boru
In Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of a kok-boru training session, a player’s horse rears. Popular in most of Central Asia, this game consists in catching a goat carcass on the… [...]
Tajikistan: Nine new sites on tentative World Heritage list
Tajikistan has submitted nine historical and cultural sites in the Zarafshan-Karakum corridor for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Currently, two places in Tajikistan have received the full status. [...]
Khorezmian fortress
“Kyzyl Kala”, an old Khorezmian fortress, is located north of Urgench in southwestern Uzbekistan. The Khorezmian rulers used this and other fortresses in the former Khorezmian region as their seat… [...]
[Newsletter] Uzbekistan’s Erk party wants to take part in presidential election
This is a copy of our newsletter dated 19 April 2021. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox every Monday. This newsletter is dedicated to post-Soviet… [...]
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Buunisa Termechikova
Buunisa Termechikova, 58 years old, stands at the ethnological museum in Sary-Mogol, which she started in July 2020 for tourists. Buunisa specialises in making traditional clothing and other felt products. [...]
A hundred years of Kyrgyz football
The Kyrgyz Football Federation celebrated 100 years on 21 March 2021, but it’s as active as ever. Novastan looks back at the game’s history in the Central Asian nation. This… [...]
[Newsletter] Kyrgyzstan backs change to constitution in referendum
This is a copy of our newsletter dated 12 April 2021. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox every Monday. This newsletter is dedicated to post-Soviet… [...]
Ruins and camels
Camels roaming around the ruins of Merv in Turkmenistan, once a major city on the Silk Road. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Credits: Konstantin… [...]
The Ustyurt Plateau
The Ustyurt Plateau with its height of 60 to 130 meters stands out strikingly from its surroundings. The plateau extends over the western part of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. [...]
Retrun to Sary-Mogol
The village of Sary-Mogol, in south-eastern Kyrgyzstan, has an official population of 5,200 and is located near the 7,134-metre-high Lenin Peak. As the peak is a very popular… [...]