Introduction -- General features of Gorno-Badakhshan -- History of the Pamirs -- Ethnology of the Pamiris -- The Kyrgyz of the Murghâb -- Ismailis and Sunnis -- Economy and society in the Soviet system -- The economic collapse -- International development aid -- Development constraints and prospects. - Includes bibliographical references (p. 362-378). - Formerly CIP. - Translated from the German