The major part of Central Asia is dominated by which one of the following language families?

The major part of Central Asia is dominated by the Altaic language family. This family traditionally encompasses the Turkic, Mongolic, and Tungusic language groups. Turkic languages, in particular, are historically associated with a vast region stretching across Central Asia, from Turkey to Siberia [1]. While Indo-European languages (specifically the Indo-Iranian branch) have a historical presence in the region and are spoken in areas like Tajikistan, the broader geographical expanse of Central Asia—including nations like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—is primarily characterized by Turkic-speaking populations. The Sino-Tibetan family is concentrated in East Asia and the Himalayan belt, while the Austric family is primarily found in Southeast Asia and parts of central/eastern India. Therefore, the Altaic family (specifically its Turkic branch) remains the most geographically dominant linguistic group in the Central Asian heartland.

Sources

1. [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Reshaping India’s Political Map > Spellings, spellings … > p. 23