FIGURE 1.6 Hypothetical map of a possible Central Asian world region. A hypothetical region called Central Asia could consist of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, plus Turkey, Iraq, Iran, the Caucasus, and also Afghanistan and Pakistan. For cultural reasons, it might even include parts of western China, but that is not considered here. The Caucasus countries have had a long association with Central Asia; economically, they might find this a better association than Europe, which is halfheartedly courting them for oil reasons. Just which region Saudi Arabia plus Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Yemen, and Israel would fall into is debatable—perhaps a region called the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa. The Emirates, despite their location on the Arabian Peninsula, appear to be angling for a leading economic role in such a new Central Asian region. The reader is reminded to consider the commentary in the text in considering the viability of this possible region.