Table of Contents

List of Mapsvii Prefaceix Introductory Remarks by Sergei A. Arutiunovxiii PART ONE: THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION Introduction3 Bibliography4 Statistical Profile7 European Russia11 History and Description11 Contemporary Issues19 Siberia and the Russian Far East29 History and Description29 Contemporary Issues36 PART TWO: BELARUS, MOLDOVA, AND UKRAINE Introduction45 Bibliography46 Belarus48 Statistical Profile48 History and Description51 Contemporary Issues53 Moldova61 Statistical Profile61 History and Description63 Contemporary Issues65 Ukraine73 Statistical Profile73 History and Description75 Contemporary Issues80 PART THREE: TRANSCAUCASIA Introduction91 Bibliography92 Armenia94 Statistical Profile94 History and Description97 Contemporary Issues101 Azerbaijan106 Statistical Profile106 History and Description109 Contemporary Issues112 Georgia120 Statistical Profile120 History and Description123 Contemporary Issues126 PART FOUR: CENTRAL ASIA Introduction135 Bibliography136 Kazakhstan138 Statistical Profile138 History and Description141 Contemporary Issues144 Kyrgyzstan151 Statistical Profile151 History and Description154 Contemporary Issues156 Tajikistan162 Statistical Profile162 History and Description165 Contemporary Issues167 Turkmenistan174 Statistical Profile174 History and Description177 Contemporary Issues179 Uzbekistan184 Statistical Profile184 History and Description187 Contemporary Issues189 Afterword197 Glossary199 Index207 LIST OF MAPS The Russian Federation6 European Russia12 Siberia and the Russian Far East30 Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine47 Belarus50 Moldova64 Ukraine76 Transcaucasia93 Armenia96 Azerbaijan108 Georgia122 Central Asia137 Kazakhstan140 Kyrgyzstan153 Tajikistan164 Turkmenistan176 Uzbekistan186

About the Author

STEPHEN K. BATALDEN, Ph.D., is associate professor of history and coordinator of the Russian and East European Studies Consortium, Arizona State University, Tempe. He also directs the university's academic exchange wh the University of Kiril and Metodij (Skobje, Macedonia). A specialist on the religious and cultural history of modern Russia, Dr. Batalden has authored and edited several volumes on Russia and Eastern Europe. He has traveled widely in Eurasia supported by research grants from the International Research and Exchanges Board and three Fulbright fellowships. In 1988, he received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Arizona State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. SANDRA L. BATALDEN, M.A., is a freelance editor and former reference librarian/bibliographer specializing in Slavic studies. While at the University of Minnesota Wilson Library, Minneapolis, and the Arizona State University Hayden Library, Tempe, she published comprehensive guides to their Slavic serial collections. Her studies of Slavic publishing and book arts have been supported by extensive travel in the former Soviet Union.

Reviews

.,."highly recommended as an important update on the issues and circumstances of the emerging countries from the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the former Soviet Union."-Wisconsin Bookwatch

.,."it is the best source of information that we have seen....provides perhaps the most up-to-date information on the Republics of the former Soviet Union....Excellent maps are provided....the most important contribution of this book is the in-depth historical and cultural analysis of each Republic, its ethnic and religious groups, and its political motivations....the historical approach delves much deeper than the larger publication can afford.... the Bataldens have made a large contribution to available information on this topic. It is pleasing to have so much information together in one place with excellent maps. This book will be a great addition to our reference collection!"-Spotlight on World Affairs

.,."offers new and subtle insights into the regions and ethnic groups that once constituted the Russian/Soviet empire."-CHOICE

.,."worthwhile for its updated statistics, bibliography, and the significantly rewritten and expanded essays on current issues."-School Library Journal

?...highly recommended as an important update on the issues and circumstances of the emerging countries from the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the former Soviet Union.?-Wisconsin Bookwatch

?...it is the best source of information that we have seen....provides perhaps the most up-to-date information on the Republics of the former Soviet Union....Excellent maps are provided....the most important contribution of this book is the in-depth historical and cultural analysis of each Republic, its ethnic and religious groups, and its political motivations....the historical approach delves much deeper than the larger publication can afford.... the Bataldens have made a large contribution to available information on this topic. It is pleasing to have so much information together in one place with excellent maps. This book will be a great addition to our reference collection!?-Spotlight on World Affairs

?...offers new and subtle insights into the regions and ethnic groups that once constituted the Russian/Soviet empire.?-CHOICE

?...worthwhile for its updated statistics, bibliography, and the significantly rewritten and expanded essays on current issues.?-School Library Journal

?I would highly recommend this book as a guide to the recent changes in the former Soviet Union. The authors clearly achieve their stated goal of introducing the history of the various non-Russian peoples of the former Soviet Union. I thought that the discussion of contemporary issues is especially helpful in outlining the major problems facing these newly independent countries....a convenient source of information on a subject that has been overlooked in the past.?-Russian, East European and Central Asia Studies Newsletter

?This handbook, gives a systematic introduction to the newly independent states of Eurasia, established as the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union....this work is intelligently written and filled with useful and up-to-date information....Overall, this handbook will help to find the necessary materials about the problems of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.?-Ethnic Forum

..."highly recommended as an important update on the issues and circumstances of the emerging countries from the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the former Soviet Union."-Wisconsin Bookwatch

..."offers new and subtle insights into the regions and ethnic groups that once constituted the Russian/Soviet empire."-CHOICE

..."worthwhile for its updated statistics, bibliography, and the significantly rewritten and expanded essays on current issues."-School Library Journal

"I would highly recommend this book as a guide to the recent changes in the former Soviet Union. The authors clearly achieve their stated goal of introducing the history of the various non-Russian peoples of the former Soviet Union. I thought that the discussion of contemporary issues is especially helpful in outlining the major problems facing these newly independent countries....a convenient source of information on a subject that has been overlooked in the past."-Russian, East European and Central Asia Studies Newsletter

"This handbook, gives a systematic introduction to the newly independent states of Eurasia, established as the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union....this work is intelligently written and filled with useful and up-to-date information....Overall, this handbook will help to find the necessary materials about the problems of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union."-Ethnic Forum

..."it is the best source of information that we have seen....provides perhaps the most up-to-date information on the Republics of the former Soviet Union....Excellent maps are provided....the most important contribution of this book is the in-depth historical and cultural analysis of each Republic, its ethnic and religious groups, and its political motivations....the historical approach delves much deeper than the larger publication can afford.... the Bataldens have made a large contribution to available information on this topic. It is pleasing to have so much information together in one place with excellent maps. This book will be a great addition to our reference collection!"-Spotlight on World Affairs

.,."highly recommended as an important update on the issues and circumstances of the emerging countries from the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the former Soviet Union."-Wisconsin Bookwatch
.,."it is the best source of information that we have seen....provides perhaps the most up-to-date information on the Republics of the former Soviet Union....Excellent maps are provided....the most important contribution of this book is the in-depth historical and cultural analysis of each Republic, its ethnic and religious groups, and its political motivations....the historical approach delves much deeper than the larger publication can afford.... the Bataldens have made a large contribution to available information on this topic. It is pleasing to have so much information together in one place with excellent maps. This book will be a great addition to our reference collection!"-Spotlight on World Affairs
.,."offers new and subtle insights into the regions and ethnic groups that once constituted the Russian/Soviet empire."-CHOICE
.,."worthwhile for its updated statistics, bibliography, and the significantly rewritten and expanded essays on current issues."-School Library Journal
?...highly recommended as an important update on the issues and circumstances of the emerging countries from the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the former Soviet Union.?-Wisconsin Bookwatch
?...it is the best source of information that we have seen....provides perhaps the most up-to-date information on the Republics of the former Soviet Union....Excellent maps are provided....the most important contribution of this book is the in-depth historical and cultural analysis of each Republic, its ethnic and religious groups, and its political motivations....the historical approach delves much deeper than the larger publication can afford.... the Bataldens have made a large contribution to available information on this topic. It is pleasing to have so much information together in one place with excellent maps. This book will be a great addition to our reference collection!?-Spotlight on World Affairs
?...offers new and subtle insights into the regions and ethnic groups that once constituted the Russian/Soviet empire.?-CHOICE
?...worthwhile for its updated statistics, bibliography, and the significantly rewritten and expanded essays on current issues.?-School Library Journal
?I would highly recommend this book as a guide to the recent changes in the former Soviet Union. The authors clearly achieve their stated goal of introducing the history of the various non-Russian peoples of the former Soviet Union. I thought that the discussion of contemporary issues is especially helpful in outlining the major problems facing these newly independent countries....a convenient source of information on a subject that has been overlooked in the past.?-Russian, East European and Central Asia Studies Newsletter
?This handbook, gives a systematic introduction to the newly independent states of Eurasia, established as the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union....this work is intelligently written and filled with useful and up-to-date information....Overall, this handbook will help to find the necessary materials about the problems of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.?-Ethnic Forum
..."highly recommended as an important update on the issues and circumstances of the emerging countries from the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the former Soviet Union."-Wisconsin Bookwatch
..."offers new and subtle insights into the regions and ethnic groups that once constituted the Russian/Soviet empire."-CHOICE
..."worthwhile for its updated statistics, bibliography, and the significantly rewritten and expanded essays on current issues."-School Library Journal
"I would highly recommend this book as a guide to the recent changes in the former Soviet Union. The authors clearly achieve their stated goal of introducing the history of the various non-Russian peoples of the former Soviet Union. I thought that the discussion of contemporary issues is especially helpful in outlining the major problems facing these newly independent countries....a convenient source of information on a subject that has been overlooked in the past."-Russian, East European and Central Asia Studies Newsletter
"This handbook, gives a systematic introduction to the newly independent states of Eurasia, established as the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union....this work is intelligently written and filled with useful and up-to-date information....Overall, this handbook will help to find the necessary materials about the problems of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union."-Ethnic Forum
..."it is the best source of information that we have seen....provides perhaps the most up-to-date information on the Republics of the former Soviet Union....Excellent maps are provided....the most important contribution of this book is the in-depth historical and cultural analysis of each Republic, its ethnic and religious groups, and its political motivations....the historical approach delves much deeper than the larger publication can afford.... the Bataldens have made a large contribution to available information on this topic. It is pleasing to have so much information together in one place with excellent maps. This book will be a great addition to our reference collection!"-Spotlight on World Affairs