Throughout history, the Central European area now known as Poland has seen times of amazing achievements but also times of conquest and struggle. Readers are given a comprehensive look at the many ways politics, war, economics, natural resources, religion, and other factors have shaped Polish culture for centuries. The up-to-date main text features important discussions of current events to encourage critical thinking, and sidebars, fact boxes, and...

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest and most populous country in Central Africa. Its history has been marred by almost continuous war, and the Congolese people have long suffered through political tumult. Largely covered in dense rain forests, the country, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, is traversed by the Congo River, a lifeline that transports Congolese merchants with barges filled with fruit, grains, and bushmeat to local villages....