ABSTRACT
During much of their past, nations of Central Asia and the Southern Near Abroad have received little attention from the outside world. For many, this part of the world is most strongly associated with the remote historical times of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, or the great Silk Road. For most of its history, this region was not a coherent nation, but a geographically defined area of independent political entities and tribal groups. This territory has been a cradle of several empires, as well as a target for numerous invasions and massive migrations, which had an impact on the population’s composition, language formation, cultural similarities, and distinctions.
