With its huge oil reserves and notoriety regarding human rights issues, Saudi Arabia has long been a country in the global spotlight. This book traces the long history of this desert region, from the times before the creation of Saudi Arabia, to the political activities of the modern Saudi state, to recent developments in Arab and Muslim culture, enabling readers to grasp the country's key importance in 21st-century global politics.

Educator and author Wayne H. Bowen provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of Saudi Arabia's history that makes clear this nation's political and...

This historical overview connects significant events from Cuba's past with the country's current social and political changes. Author Clifford L. Staten reviews the changing landscape of Cuba and explores subjects such as the relationship between the domestic and international political economy of Cuba; the successes and failures of Castro's revolution; the importance of the U.S. role in Cuban politics and commerce; and the problems associated with an agricultural fiscal structure based upon sugar.

The revised edition includes additional biographies of key figures from recent history...

Egypt has experienced tumultuous events in recent years, especially starting with the uprisings and revolution of 2011. This second edition of "The History of Egypt" not only provides readers with in-depth information on events of the last decade--such as the Arab Spring, the removal of Hosni Mubarak from office, and the protests against Mohamed Morsi's presidency--but also provides key background with chapters addressing previous periods of the country's history, starting from pre-Islamic times to pharaonic to Byzantine.

The volume offers an objective history of Egypt that is uniquely...

The Baltic States--Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania--were granted independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then, the three countries have struggled with sluggish economies, tensions with Russia, and government corruption. This extensively updated second edition of a well-regarded reference illuminates the events of the last decade, including the acceptance of all three nations into the European Union in 2004. Although it concentrates on the 20th and 21st centuries, the wide-ranging work covers major historical currents that have swept through Europe from the age of the Crusades...

For travelers or students looking for the story behind the evolution of modern-day Turkey, this informative guide traces this country's history and culture from ancient times through the present day. The first half of this book surveys the centuries up to 1923, with the latter half exploring events since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923. By following the timeline of Turkey's development in clear, chronologically ordered chapters, the work lays out the various civilizations whose remains still sit side by side today.

This second edition delves into the full scope of...