The Beta Quadrant adjoins the Alpha Quadrant, and all the major political powers here are so close to the borders of the Alpha Quadrant that in earlier times, hostilities flared up constantly from what was perceived as flagrant trespasses of boundary. The Klingon and Romulan Empires have both had a long history of testy relations with the Federation, the Klingons having scant understanding of the diplomatic ways of the Federation, and the Romulans having inborn xenophobia that deters them from any meaningful dialogue with outsiders. Since the Dominion began its furious attacks on their nearby Alpha Quadrant neighbors, however, the Romulan and Klingon Empires have been compelled to join in the defensive efforts, because if their buffer, the Federation, fell, their own destruction would not be far behind. The Ferengi Alliance was not widely known to the Alpha Quadrant until very recently. However, once the Ferengi realized what a large untapped the Alpha Quadrant was, the presence of Ferengi commerce has increased markedly. Ferengi Aliance | Klingon Empire | Romulan Star Empire

Alpha Quadrant | Beta Quadrant | Gamma Quadrant | Delta Quadrant