The immense size and natural resources of Siberia, and its crucial geopolitical position in Eurasian history, assure it a prominent place in the interests and concerns of Russia and the other powers of Northeast Asia and the Pacific Rim. The central issue of Siberian history is: What were the essential social, political and cultural factors which contributed to the emergence of Siberia as a -crossroads of civilizations- between Europe and Asia? The book examines the expansion of the Siberian frontier since the sixteenth century by highlighting the role of individuals and state institutions in the colonizing process that made Siberia similar to legendary America's Wild West."