evidence: The Fergana Valley, sometimes spelled ‘Farghana’ or ‘Ferghana’, is a three-sided valley that connects Northern Tajikistan to the southerly end of Kyrgyzstan and the easterly section of Uzbekistan in Central Asia. Totally off the beaten track, this ancient region is characterized by age-old mosques, fascinating madrassas, friendly people, and bustling bazaars showcasing a plethora of traditional crafts from handspun pottery to the finest silk. Dating back over two thousand years, the Fergana region has been the site of major conflict with its neighbors fighting over the region’s natural resources, including cotton, natural rock, and a small quantity of oil. With humble beginnings as a trading route for the Persians and the Greeks, the Fergana Valley has passed hands throughout the years – from Babur’s Mughal Dynasty and Soviet Russia in the late 19th-century, to finally forming three independent republics in the early 1990s – northern Tajikistan being the main one. Tucked between two mountain ranges, the Tengri Tagh and the Gissar-Alai, the Fergana Valley covers an impressive 8,500 square miles of cattle-grazing farmland, snow-capped mountains, traditional villages, and fertile valleys. In fact, as it is fed by two rivers which flow onwards into the Syr Darya River, Fergana is one of Central Asia’s most fertile valleys – delicious fruit, vegetables, and other agricultural products thrive here.