Historical Dictionary of Kyrgyzstan (Historical Dictionaries of Asia
History ASIA ABAZOV ASIAN/OCEANIAN HISTORICAL DICTIONARIES, NO. 49 he modern history of Kyrgyzstan resembles the “great game” played by the British and Russian empires for domination in central Asia. For centuries, the land populated by Kyrgyzs was T Dictionary Historical fragmented among various political entities, and at the end of the 19th century the Russian empire acquired control of the region. In 1991 Kyrgyzstan declared its independence and began building a democratic and market-oriented state, but the newly independent country soon found itself the subject of a political competition for influence among of KYRGYZSTAN powers such as China, Russia, and the United States. This competition resulted in the establishment of U.S. and Russian military airbases in Kyrgyzstan’s territory, in what some analysts describe as a new round of the great game. The Historical Dictionary of Kyrgyzstan is the first comprehensive refer- ence book on this pivotal country, providing superb up-to-date details about the key players and issues in contemporary domestic and interna- tional politics. The dictionary consists of approximately 300 entries and is cross-referenced for ease of use by both experienced scholars and young students interested in the complicated and captivating history of Kyrgyzs and the Kyrgyz land. The substantial bibliography will assist readers in finding materials and resources in specialized subject areas. Rafis Abazov is a visiting scholar at the Harriman Institute at Columbia University, New York. He is the author of two books and numerous arti- cles in Kazakhstani, Russian, and other international academic journals. He has contributed articles to the Encyclopaedia of Modern Asia and the Encyclopaedia of National Economies.
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