Throughout the last decade, Central Asia has remained largely stable, albeit with periodic outbreaks of spectacular violence. These have affected the eastern region, the Ferghana Valley, comprised of the states of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Although poor, these countries are not heavily dependent on international assistance, but rely primarily on labour remittances, aid and loans from Russia and China. The price for stability has been strong authoritarian rule, in which the regimes maintain their legitimacy through a combination of performance-based and symbolic means.