With its significant oil and gas reserves and important transit pipelines, the Caucasus holds outstanding strategic and security importance for Europe. This has made it a focal point of contention and a crisis region today. However, one often overlooks its rich culture and great natural beauty. Renowned experts shed light on Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as the Russian regions in the North Caucasus (Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia) and the neighboring countries of Turkey and Iran in this book. The major conflict regions—Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Chechnya—are described in detail from historical and political perspectives. With its analyses of countries, conflicts, and cultures, the book offers a comprehensive insight into the crisis region of the Caucasus.