Canada and the World Backgrounder articles from March 2003

Canada and the World Backgrounder archives from March 2003

The heartland theory.(Introduction)(geopolitics)
March 1, 2003... As the Victorian era ended and the 20th century began, Britain was at the height of its power. Its Royal Navy was the unchallenged master of the oceans and the Union lack flag flew over colonies on all continents. In the heart of England,...

The Great Game continues: during the 19th century, Russia and Britain competed for influence in Central Asia in what historians call "The Great Game;" now, a new Great Game is being played in the region.(Overview)
March 1, 2003... Until recently, most people arriving in Central Asia found little to interest them. The few who lived there were mostly nomadic, following their herds across vast grasslands. They lived in tribal societies and their wanderings across mostly...

Tricksters and tyrants: the human rights group Freedom House rates all countries in Central Asia as "Not Free." Among neighbouring states, only three are rated as "Partly Free. "This is a region of the world where dictators and despots rule.(Leadership)
March 1, 2003... Let's drop in on Islam Karimov and spend a little time in his company. Mr. Karimov is the President of Uzbekistan and, by his own modest account, he is a "dedicated citizen, and a splendid human being." But, President Karimov's glowing...

Land of division: lying between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, the mountainous Caucasus region has been notorious for centuries as a place of feuds and fighting; outsiders get entangled in the battles at their own peril.(Caucasia)
March 1, 2003... The Caucasian Mountains form one of the world's great ranges, rising to 5,642 metres at the peak of Mount Elbrus. Geographers often refer to the range as one of the dividing lines between Europe and Asia. The mountains themselves and the areas...

Clash of civilizations? Central Asia is where east meets west, where Islam meets Christianity, where modernism meets traditional societies, and where a whole lot of trouble could brew up if those who make important decisions are not very careful.(Islam)
March 1, 2003... Historian Samuel P. Huntington wrote an essay in 1993 about the coming "clash of civilizations." He wrote that the dividing lines that will create conflict in the 21st century are likely to be between civilizations. He listed eight "major...

The gathering storm: although not part of what geographers call Central Asia, Iraq and the events unfolding in the country have an enormous impact on the region.(Iraq)
March 1, 2003... The administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has targeted Iraq's dictator Saddam Hussein for removal. The spin doctors call it "regime change," which makes it sound almost like an election. But, the process has caused fights among...

Winning the peace: one way or the other, Saddam Hussein is very unlikely to survive as leader of Iraq, but the question of what comes next is the real puzzler.(Aftermath In Iraq)
March 1, 2003... Let's assume that everything goes according to plan in Iraq. For the British and American military, the plan calls for a rapid collapse of Iraqi defences, a swift drive into the heart of Baghdad, and the quick capture or killing of Saddam...

Quote ... unquote.
March 1, 2003... "The main threat in Central Asia is the growth of Salafi Islam, which preaches total rejection of modernly, of culture, and the arts." Olivier Roy, Research Director for Humanities and Social Studies at the National Centre for Scientific...

Map of Central Asia.
March 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

(Tables of different indicators for Central Asia).
March 1, 2003... Health Indicators Life expectancy Infant at birth mortality (per 1,000 live births) Health spending...

Afghanistan.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Kabul Leader: Harold Karzai Population: 26,700,000 Ethnic Groups: Pashtun (38%), Tajik (25%), Hazara (19%), Uzbek (6%), other (12%) BACKGROUND Afghanistan became an independent monarchy in 1921. King Zahir Shah...

Armenia.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Yerevan Leader: Robert Kocharian Population: 3,800,000 Ethnic Groups. Armenian (93%), Russian (2%), other, including Kurdish (5%) BACKGROUND Armenia is a landlocked, mostly Christian country, ruled at various...

Azerbaijan.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Baku Leader: Heydar Aliev Population: 7,700,000 Ethnic Groups. Azeri (90%), Dagestan peoples (3%), Russian (3%), Armenian (2%), other (2%) BACKGROUND Starting in the 17th century, Azerbaijan was controlled by the...

Georgia.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Tbilisi Leader: Eduard Shevardnadze Population: 5,400,000 Ethnic Groups: Georgian (70%), Armenian (8%), Russian (6%), Azeri (6%), Ossetian (3%), Abkhaz other (5%) BACKGROUND Over the centuries Georgia has been...

Iran.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Tehran Leader: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Population: 66,128,000 Ethnic Groups: Persian (51%), Azeri (24%), Kurd (7%) BACKGROUND Iran is an ancient land that has had a variety of occupants. Formerly known as Persia,...

Iraq.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Baghdad Leader: Saddam Hussein Population: 23,330,000 Ethnic Groups: Arab (75%), Kurd (20%) BACKGROUND Iraq is an artificial country. It never existed as a nation within its current borders until after World War...

Kazakhstan.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Astana Leader: Nursultan Abish-uly Nazarbayev Population: 16,730,000 Ethnic Groups: Kazakh (46%), Russian (35%) Ukrainian (5%), and ethnic German (3%); the remaining 11% include smaller numbers of other European and Asian...

Kyrgyzstan.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Bishkek Leader: President Askar Akayev Population: 4,750,000 Ethnic Groups: Kyrgyz Russian (18%), Uzbek (13%) BACKGROUND For centuries, the region was populated by nomadic herders and ruled by tribal leaders. In...

Tajikistan.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Dushanbe Leader: Imomali Sharipovich Rakhmonov Population: 6,575,000 Ethnic Groups: Tajik (65%), Uzbek Russian (4%) BACKGROUND Tajikistan became an independent nation in 1991 and almost immediately plunged into...

Turkmenistan.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Ashgabat Leader: Saparmurat Niyazov Population: 4,600,000 Ethnic Groups: Turkmen (77%), Uzbek (9%), Russian (7%) BACKGROUND President Saparmurat Niyazov is a holdover from the Soviet era. When reading about the...

Uzbekistan.
March 1, 2003... Capital: Tashkent Leader: Islam Karimov Population: 25,150,000 Ethnic Groups. Uzbek (80%), Russian (6%), Tajik (5%) BACKGROUND The story here is the same as in the other Central Asian republics. Russian domination in the...