that has only gradually been appreciated is the vast ecological destruction. Most notable is the gradual drying of the Aral Sea. During the Soviet era, it was decided that the traditional crops of melons and vegetables would be replaced by water-intensive growing of cotton for Soviet textile mills. Massive irrigation efforts were launched that diverted a considerable percentage of the annual inflow to the sea, causing it to shrink steadily. Furthermore, vast tracts of Kazakhstan were used for nuclear testing, and there exists a plethora of decrepit factories and mines. In the first part of 2008 Central Asia experienced a severe energy crisis, a shortage of both electricity and fuel, aggravated by abnormally cold temperatures, failing infrastructure, and a shortage of food in which aid from the west began to assist the region. As of 2019, despite its common cultural and historical past Central Asia has been "one of the least integrated regions in the world". See also Eurasian nomads Eurasian Steppe History of Afghanistan History of Kazakhstan History of Kyrgyzstan History of Mongolia History of Tajikistan History of the central steppe History of Turkmenistan History of Uzbekistan History of Xinjiang Further reading V.V. Barthold, Turkestan Down to the Mongol Invasion (London) 1968 (Third Edition) Bacon, Elizabeth A. Central Asians under Russian Rule (Cornell UP, 1966) Becker, Seymour, Russia’s Protectorates in Central Asia: Bukhara and Khiva, 1865 - 1924 (1968) Brower, Daniel Turkestan and the Fate of the Russian Empire (London) 2003. Dani, A.H. and V.M. Masson eds. UNESCO History of Civilizations of Central Asia (Paris: UNESCO) 1992– Hildinger, Erik. Warriors of the Steppe: A Military History of Central Asia, 500 BC. to 1700 AD. (Cambridge: Da Capo) 2001. Maitdinova, Guzel. The Dialogue of Civilizations in the Central Asian area of the Great Silk Route: Historical experience of integration and reference points of XXI century. Dushanbe: 2015. Maitdinova, Guzel. The Kirpand State – an Empire in Middle Asia. Dushanbe: 2011. O'Brien, Patrick K. (General Editor). Oxford Atlas of World History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Olcott, Martha Brill. Central Asia's New States: Independence, Foreign policy, and Regional security. (Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press) 1996. Sinor, Denis The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia (Cambridge) 1990 (2nd Edition). S. Frederick Starr, Rediscovering Central AsiaOther languages В.В. Бартольд История Культурной Жизни Туркестана ("Istoriya Kul'turnoy zhizni Turkestana") (Москва) 1927 Н.А. Халфин; Россия и Ханства Средней Азии ("Rossiya i Hanstva