<P> Buddhism and Zoroastrianism were the major faiths in Central Asia prior to the arrival of Islam . Zoroastrian influence is still felt today in such celebrations as Nowruz, held in all five of the Central Asian states . </P> <P> Buddhism was a prominent religion in Central Asia prior to the arrival of Islam, and the transmission of Buddhism along the Silk Road eventually brought the religion to China . Amongst the Turkic peoples, Tengrianism was the popular religion before arrival of Islam . Tibetan Buddhism is most common in Tibet, Mongolia, Ladakh and the southern Russian regions of Siberia . </P> <P> The form of Christianity most practiced in the region in previous centuries was Nestorianism, but now the largest denomination is the Russian Orthodox Church, with many members in Kazakhstan where about 25% of the population of 19 million identify as Christian, 17% in Uzbekistan and 5% in Kyrgyzstan . </P> <P> The Bukharan Jews were once a sizable community in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, but nearly all have emigrated since the dissolution of the Soviet Union . </P>

Most of the population of tibet live in the central portion of the country