North Asia, even though geographically in Asia, is a part of Russia, and hence culturally and politically a part of Europe. Slavic and other Indo-European populations dominate the region, with over 95% of its population being of European origin. European influences, especially Russian, are strong in the southwestern and central part of the region, due to its high Russian population from Eastern Europe which began to settle the area in the 18th-century CE. However, the minor Asian cultures are mostly strong in the eastern, southern, and southeastern parts of the region due to a concentrated population of indigenous and other Asian ethnicities. In recent years there have been a growing number of movements by the indigenous peoples of the region to preserve its culture from extinction. The region is also home to different minorities such as Turkic, Uralic, Yeniseian and Tungusic peoples.