Arranged by geographical region, this volume examines each of the newly formed republics created from the former USSR, with details on their past, their culture, and key problems facing each today. This new edition features up-to-date statistical profiles of each of the republics that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union, covering demography, government, education, economics, geography, and communications, based on the most recent and reliable sources available. Each profile is followed by a succinct summary of that country's geography and history, a map, and an analysis of its current political, cultural, and economic issues. The book also contains general maps of various regions, a detailed glossary, extensive bibliographies. and a thoroughly cross-referenced index.