02 June 2020

Quiz: How well do you know the Central Asia ‘stans?

The five ‘stans – Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan – of Central Asia make up part of the Silk Road. See how much you know about them…

3 mins

How well do you know Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan? The Silk Road ‘stans are easy to suss, right? Perhaps not. Time to find out one way or the other.

P.S. If you’ve read the results of the Reader Travel Awards 2020, one of the answers should be easy. Good luck!

1. The ‘stans are also known as the Silk Road. Which of the following countries was not on the ancient Silk Road?

China

Mongolia

Pakistan

Egypt

2. Which of these cities is the capital of Uzbekistan?

Samarkand

Bukhara

Tashkent

Khiva

3. Which Silk Road ‘stan is the owner of this flag?

Turkmenistan

Tajikistan

Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan

4. Which ‘stan was voted the Top Emerging Destination in the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2020?

Uzbekistan

Kyrgyzstan

Tajikistan

Nice try! None of them were

5. In which ‘stan would you find the Fann Mountains?

Tajikistan

Kazakhstan

Turkmenistan

Nice try! It’s in Pakistan

6. In which ‘stan would you find the otherworldly Lake Kaindy?

Kyrgyzstan

Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan

Nice try! It’s in Bhutan

7. Which of the Central Asia ‘stans is the biggest (by sq km)?

Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan

Kyrgyzstan

Tajikistan

8. And which is the smallest (by sq km)?

Kyrgyzstan

Tajikistan

Uzbekistan

Turkmenistan

9. Only one ‘stan shares a border with the remaining Central Asian countries (plus Afghanistan). Which is it?

Kazakhstan

Turkmenistan

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

10. Two Central Asia ‘stans border the Caspian Sea. Which are they?

Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan

Tajikistan and Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

11. Which Silk Road ‘stan is the owner of this flag?

Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Kyrgyzstan

12. Turkmenistan is home to the ‘Gate of Hell’, a fiery crater called Darvaza. Why does it still burn?

It’s fuelled by natural coal seam beneath the surface

It’s a collapsed gas crater

It’s lava from an ancient volcano

Nice try! It’s not on fire

13. In which Uzbek city would you find the jaw-dropping Registan?

Tashkent

Bukhara

Khiva

Samarkand

14. Can you identify this important Tajik statue?

Atomshhik Monument, Chkalovsk

Rudaki Monument, Khujand

Statue of Ismoil Somoni, Dushanbe

Sadriddin Aini Monument, Dushanbe

15. Kyrgyzstan has several traditional horseriding sports. Which of these is NOT one of them?

Udarysh (wrestling while on horseback)

Kes kumay (a grown-up game of kiss-chase, also on horseback)

Tipin enemei (picking up coins from the floor mid-gallop)

Men seni süyöm (a parade of various, complex horse jumps)

16. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan share a beloved national dish: plov. What exactly is ‘plov’?

A mix of bread and onions in a yogurt sauce

A rice dish cooked with meat, veggies, broth and spice

Meat, vegetable and potato skewers, cooked over hot coals

Triangle-shaped meat dumplings, filled with goats cheese

Related Articles