ANGLO-RUSSIAN TRADE AND ECONOMIC RIVALRY IN THE BUKHARA KHANATE IN THE 1830S - 1840S AND ITS IMPACT ON REGIONAL TRADE RELATIONS

Abstract

This article examines the trade, economic, and political rivalry between the British Empire and the Russian Empire in Central Asia, particularly in the Bukhara Khanate, during the first half of the nineteenth century. The study analyzes the diplomatic and intelligence missions of British representatives such as Mir Izzatullah, Alexander Burnes, Arthur Conolly, and Joseph Wolff, as well as their observations regarding the political conditions, trade relations, and economic potential of the region. Special attention is given to the penetration of British industrial goods into the markets of Central Asia, the functioning of regional trade routes, and the impact of these processes on the traditional economic relations between Russia and the Bukhara Khanate. The analysis of historical sources indicates that despite Britain’s active efforts to expand its economic presence in the region, the long-established trade connections between Russia and Central Asian states continued to dominate regional commerce. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of geopolitical competition and international relations in Central Asia during the nineteenth century.