In the two decades since its independence from the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan has maintained close ties with Russia, on which it remains economically dependent, while…
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Palimpsest: (n) a manuscript or piece of writing material on which later writing has been superimposed on effaced earlier writing. Warsaw, Poland’s centrally-located capital, is…
Krakow was the Polish capital from 1038 to 1596 or approximately from the Kingdom of Poland’s historical founding through its golden age. Even after the…
There have been a number of videos published by youth and student groups from all sides of the Ukrainian conflict. Many of these have been…
“Prosperity in Unity” is the official motto of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a parliamentary republic that exists within Ukraine and occupies most of the…
Ukraine is no longer “The Ukraine.” For centuries, the definite article was considered appropriate, given the land’s history and the name’s meaning. However, given recent…
Transdnestria, or The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (which is the full name its government uses) lies mostly within in a single narrow valley on the east…
The republic of Moldova may to some appear to be something of an afterthought – a small, landlocked nation on the far eastern periphery of…
The ancient city of Kiev continues to thrive as the most populous city of Ukraine. Much like other post-Soviet capitals, Kiev’s future looks bright, despite…
With a population that is 88% ethnically Ukrainian, Lviv is one of the strongholds of what can be considered Ukrainian culture. Although it may have…
As the third largest city in Ukraine, Odessa has a rich and eclectic history. Located on the Black Sea, about 450 km south of Kiev,…
Turkmenistan consists mostly of sparsely-inhabited desert, but has still found itself contested between civilizations throughout history. Over the past century, it has been particularly associated…
South Ossetia is one of the world’s newest independent states according to Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and the microstates of Tuvalu and Nauru. According to all…
These days, a visitor to Tbilisi might be struck by the calm, southern European atmosphere that pervades this hilly capital. The old city of Tbilisi,…
The Republic of Georgia, a small nation in the South Caucasus, covers territory which has seen the rise and fall of many empires and kingdoms…
Bishkek is capital of one of Central Asia’s poorest countries. However, it is also a modern, dynamic, and constantly evolving city with a rich history…
Abkhazia: Grandeur to Ruin… and Back Again? With its precipitous mountains, subtropical climate, and pristine beaches, one would expect Abkhazia to be the Black Sea…
I. Almaty – The Old Capital Almaty is a beautiful city perched among the mountains in Southern Kazakhstan. Its name comes from the Kazakh word “alma” which…
People’s Front is a new political party in Ukraine, founded in March 2014 by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and former Parliament Chairman Oleksandr Turchynov. Yatsenyuk…
Bloc of Petro Poroshenko is united behind President Petro Poroshenko’s goals for Ukraine. The party’s primary objectives include Ukraine’s membership in the EU, a peaceful…