A country larger than Western Europe, Kazakhstan's vast expanse encompasses the Great Steppe, across which Genghis Khan's Mongol hordes galloped; the heights of the Tien Shan in the south, through whose foothills Silk Road travellers journeyed; the exquisite lakes and valleys of the mystical Altai mountains in the northeast; and in the far west the archaeologically rich desert coast of the Caspian Sea. With independence and the discovery of oil has come huge change and rapid modernization, and Kazakhstan today stands as Central Asia's most stable and forward-thinking nation. In the second edition of this successful book, this land of rich history, inspirational landscapes and welcoming people continues to share its wonders with an inquisitive world.