Name the five countries in Central Asia that end with “stan.” Can’t? The often-overlooked region of the world is back on the map because of its critical minerals. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the busiest men in the world, just visited Uzbekistan to discuss business partnerships. The United States should deepen its diplomatic relations with the “Stans” to end its reliance on China for essential resources.
Kazakhstan leads the world in uranium production, the fuel of our nuclear reactors; Tajikistan holds a quarter of the world’s antimony, which turns our munitions into hardened, armor-piercing rounds; Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have reserves of copper and molybdenum, used by our electricians and steel fabricators; reports of possible lithium deposits in Turkmenistan hint at a future supplier for battery components.
