World History
History of Uzbekistan. This is a brief but easy to read history of the Soviet successor state of Uzbekistan. The emphasis is on the 20th Century history.
According to Wikipedia, "The Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south."
It has most recently been in the news for supporting the American lead war against terrorism and helping with operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also has suffered several major terrorist attacks in the last year.
From the site:
Located in the heart of Central Asia between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers, Uzbekistan has a long and interesting heritage. The leading cities of the famous Silk Road--Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva--are located in Uzbekistan, and many well-known conquerors passed through the land. Alexander the Great stopped near Samarkand on his way to India in 327 B.C. and married Roxanna, daughter of a local chieftain. Conquered by Muslim Arabs in the eight century A.D., the indigenous Samanid dynasty established an empire in the 9th century. Genghis Khan and his Mongols overran its territory in 1220. In the 1300s, Timur, known in the west as Tamerlane, built an empire with its capital at Samarkand. Uzbekistan's most noted tourist sites date from the Timurid dynasty. Later, separate Muslim city-states emerged with strong ties to Persia. In 1865, Russia occupied Tashkent and by the end of the 19th century, Russia had conquered all of Central Asia. In 1876, the Russians dissolved the Khanate of Kokand, while allowing the Khanates of Khiva and Bukhara to remain as direct protectorates. Russia placed the rest of Central Asia under colonial administration, and invested in the development of Central Asia's infrastructure, promoting cotton growing and encouraging settlement by Russian colonists.
In 1924, following the establishment of Soviet power, the Soviet Socialist Republic of Uzbekistan was founded from the territories including the Khanates of Bukhara and Khiva and portions of the Fergana Valley that had constituted the Khanate of Kokand. During the Soviet era, Moscow used Uzbekistan for its tremendous cotton growing and natural resource potential. The extensive and inefficient irrigation used to support the former has been the main cause of shrinkage of the Aral Sea to less than a third of its original volume, making this one of the world's worst environmental disasters. Uzbekistan declared independence on September 1, 1991. Islam Karimov, former First Secretary of the Communist Party, was elected President in December 1991 with 88% of the vote; however, the election was not viewed as free or fair by foreign observers.
- History Of Kazakhstan
History of Kazakhstan. This is a brief history of the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan in Asia. Yeah, it is hard to spell and I bet most Americans are clueless as to where it is! (Hint: It is right next to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.)...
- History Of Kyrgyzstan
History of Kyrgyzstan. This is a brief history of the Asian nation and former Soviet state of Kyrgyzstan. It is hard to pronounce and even tougher to spell! The Encyclopædia Britannica notes, "Officially Kyrgyz Republic , Kyrgyz Kyrgyz Respublikasy ,...
- History Of Moldova
History of Moldova. This is a brief history of the Europen state of Moldova. This country is a Soviet successor state long associated with Romania and Russia. The Encyclopædia Britannica notes, "Officially Republic of Moldova, Moldovan Republica Moldova...
- History Of Turkmenistan
History of Turkmenistan. This is a decent short essay on the history of the Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Wikipedia notes that, "Turkmenistan, formerly known as the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic is a country in Central Asia. It has borders with Afghanistan,...
- History Of Armenia
History of Armenia This is a good essay which covers the history of Armenia. From the site: Armenia first emerged into history around 800 BC as part of the Kingdom of Urartu or Van, which flourished in the Caucasus and eastern Asia Minor until 600...
World History
History of Uzbekistan
History of Uzbekistan. This is a brief but easy to read history of the Soviet successor state of Uzbekistan. The emphasis is on the 20th Century history.
According to Wikipedia, "The Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south."
It has most recently been in the news for supporting the American lead war against terrorism and helping with operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also has suffered several major terrorist attacks in the last year.
From the site:
Located in the heart of Central Asia between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers, Uzbekistan has a long and interesting heritage. The leading cities of the famous Silk Road--Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva--are located in Uzbekistan, and many well-known conquerors passed through the land. Alexander the Great stopped near Samarkand on his way to India in 327 B.C. and married Roxanna, daughter of a local chieftain. Conquered by Muslim Arabs in the eight century A.D., the indigenous Samanid dynasty established an empire in the 9th century. Genghis Khan and his Mongols overran its territory in 1220. In the 1300s, Timur, known in the west as Tamerlane, built an empire with its capital at Samarkand. Uzbekistan's most noted tourist sites date from the Timurid dynasty. Later, separate Muslim city-states emerged with strong ties to Persia. In 1865, Russia occupied Tashkent and by the end of the 19th century, Russia had conquered all of Central Asia. In 1876, the Russians dissolved the Khanate of Kokand, while allowing the Khanates of Khiva and Bukhara to remain as direct protectorates. Russia placed the rest of Central Asia under colonial administration, and invested in the development of Central Asia's infrastructure, promoting cotton growing and encouraging settlement by Russian colonists.
In 1924, following the establishment of Soviet power, the Soviet Socialist Republic of Uzbekistan was founded from the territories including the Khanates of Bukhara and Khiva and portions of the Fergana Valley that had constituted the Khanate of Kokand. During the Soviet era, Moscow used Uzbekistan for its tremendous cotton growing and natural resource potential. The extensive and inefficient irrigation used to support the former has been the main cause of shrinkage of the Aral Sea to less than a third of its original volume, making this one of the world's worst environmental disasters. Uzbekistan declared independence on September 1, 1991. Islam Karimov, former First Secretary of the Communist Party, was elected President in December 1991 with 88% of the vote; however, the election was not viewed as free or fair by foreign observers.
- History Of Kazakhstan
History of Kazakhstan. This is a brief history of the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan in Asia. Yeah, it is hard to spell and I bet most Americans are clueless as to where it is! (Hint: It is right next to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.)...
- History Of Kyrgyzstan
History of Kyrgyzstan. This is a brief history of the Asian nation and former Soviet state of Kyrgyzstan. It is hard to pronounce and even tougher to spell! The Encyclopædia Britannica notes, "Officially Kyrgyz Republic , Kyrgyz Kyrgyz Respublikasy ,...
- History Of Moldova
History of Moldova. This is a brief history of the Europen state of Moldova. This country is a Soviet successor state long associated with Romania and Russia. The Encyclopædia Britannica notes, "Officially Republic of Moldova, Moldovan Republica Moldova...
- History Of Turkmenistan
History of Turkmenistan. This is a decent short essay on the history of the Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Wikipedia notes that, "Turkmenistan, formerly known as the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic is a country in Central Asia. It has borders with Afghanistan,...
- History Of Armenia
History of Armenia This is a good essay which covers the history of Armenia. From the site: Armenia first emerged into history around 800 BC as part of the Kingdom of Urartu or Van, which flourished in the Caucasus and eastern Asia Minor until 600...