When the Soviet Union officially ended in December 1991 and was replaced by the Commonwealth of Independent States, the five Central Asian republics--Kazakstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan--also became independent. This study examines the course of nationalist, ethnic, and pro-independence movements in the Central Asian region since 1991, as well as the geopolitical situation surrounding and involving these new states. Because of differences in size, ethnic composition, historical and cultural characteristics, resource base, and geographical location, these...