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Article: 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)
- Article from:
- Canada and the World Backgrounder
- Article date:
- March 1, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Canada & the World. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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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 to the north and south have seen human habitation for thousands of years. As with most mountainous regions, enormous ethnic complexity has developed over the centuries with peaks and valleys separating peoples from one another.
Throughout history Caucasia has served as a refuge for persecuted peoples who fled into the mountain valleys as protection against invaders. Wave upon wave of settlement produced a complex ethnic ...