The countries of central Asia are a diverse group. Kazakhstan seems likely to enjoy a prosperous future, thanks to enormous oil reserves; others seem likely to become welfare nations. Pakistan possesses a large army and nuclear weapons, while 23 years of conflict have left neighboring Afghanistan desperately needy. What binds these diverse nations is the harshness of their landscape and a shared history.
In centuries past, the area was traversed by traders seeking silk and spices, as well as by mighty conquerors, such as Attila, Mahmud, and Genghis Khan.
