O‘zbekiston Respublikasi Republic of Uzbekistan
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Capital (and largest city)		Tashkent 41°16′N, 69°13′E
Official languages		Uzbek
Demonym		Uzbek[1]
Government		Republic
-	President	Islom Karimov
-	Prime Minister	Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Independence		from the Soviet Union
-	Formation	17471
-	Declared	September 1, 1991
-	Recognized	December 8, 1991
-	Completed	December 25, 1991
Area
-	Total	447,400 km² (56th) 172,742 sq mi
-	Water (%)	4.9
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	26,593,000 (44th)
-	Density	59/km² (136th) 153/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$50.395 billion (74th)
-	Per capita	$2,283 (145th)
Gini (2000)		26.8 (low)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.702 (medium) (113th)
Currency		Uzbekistan som (Uzbekiston so'mi) (UZS)
Time zone		UZT (UTC+5)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+5)
Internet TLD		.uz
Calling code		+998
1	As Bukharian Emirate, Kokand Khanate, Khwarezm.

Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan (Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси), is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. Image File history File links Flag_of_Uzbekistan. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_Arms_of_Uzbekistan. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Uzbekistan was adopted on November 18, 1991. ... Coat of arms of Uzbek SSR until 1991 The current coat of arms of Uzbekistan was adopted on July 2, 1992. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... The National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Uzbek: ) came into being when Uzbekistan was a republic of the Soviet Union. ... Uzbekistan File links The following pages link to this file: Uzbekistan User:DanielZm/test ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Uzbekistan is Central Asias most populous country. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... List of Presidents of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov (1991 - present) Last election See also Politics of Uzbekistan Categories: | | ... Islom Abdug‘aniyevich Karimov (Russian: Ислам Абдуганиевич Каримов Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov; Uzbek: Ислом Абдуғаниевич Каримов Islom Abdug`aniyevich Karimov) (born on 30 January 1938) has served as the President of Uzbekistan since 1990. ... According to the Constitution of Uzbekistan, the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and the deputy ministers are appointed by the president. ... Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev (Mirziyayev) (born 1957) is the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan[1]. He was nominated by the President, Islam Karimov on December 12, 2003 and agreed by the Uzbek parliament. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... The som (so‘m in Uzbek) is the currency of Uzbekistan in Central Asia. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Uzbekistan Time is the standard timezone in Uzbekistan that 5 hours ahead of UTC. The standard time uses no daylight saving time, though there has been constant debate whether to adopt it in order to increase leisure time. ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .uz is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Uzbekistan. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... The Emirate of Bukhara (1747-1920) was a state in Central Asia, with its capital in Bukhara and was a Russian protectorate from 1868. ... The Khanate of Kokand is a formar state in Asia that existed from 1709-1876 within the territory of modern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. ... After Islamic Conquest  Modern SSR = Soviet Socialist Republic Afghanistan  Azerbaijan  Bahrain  Iran  Iraq  Tajikistan  Uzbekistan  This box:      Khwarezm was a series of states centered on the Amu Darya river delta of the former Aral Sea, in modern Uzbekistan, extending across the Ust-Urt plateau and possibly as far west as... Landlocked countries of the world according to The World Factbook. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ...

History

Main article: History of Uzbekistan

The territory of Uzbekistan was already populated in the second millennium BC. Early human tools and monuments have been found in the Ferghana, Tashkent, Bukhara, Khorezm (Khwarezm, Chorasmia) and Samarkand regions. Located in the heart of Central Asia between the Amu Darya (Oxus) and Syr Darya (Jaxartes) Rivers, Uzbekistan has a long and interesting heritage. ... AD redirects here. ... Fergana is a city in the Fergana Valley, capital of the Fargona Viloyati of Uzbekistan. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ... Bukhara (Tajik: Бухоро; Persian: , Buxârâ; Uzbek: ; Russian: ), from the Soghdian βuxārak (lucky place), is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat). ... Khiva (alternative names include Khorasam, Khoresm, Khwarezm, Khwarizm, Khwarazm, Chiwa and Chorezm) is a city in present day Uzbekistan, in the Province of Khorezm. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ...

Alexander the Great conquered Sogdiana and Bactria in 327 BC, marrying Roxana, daughter of a local Bactrian chieftain. The conquest was supposedly of little help to Alexander as popular resistance was fierce, causing Alexander's army to be bogged down in the region. For the film of the same name, see Alexander the Great (1956 film). ... Sogdiana, ca. ... Bactria, about 320 BC Bactria (Bactriana, Bākhtar in Persian, also Bhalika in Arabic and Indian languages, and Ta-Hia in Chinese) was the ancient Greek name of the country between the range of the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya (Oxus); its capital, Bactra or Balhika or Bokhdi (now... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC - 320s BC - 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 332 BC 331 BC 330 BC 329 BC 328 BC - 327 BC - 326 BC 325 BC 324... Roxana (Bactrian: Roshanak; literally midnight soul or nightmare), was a Bactrian noble and a wife of Alexander the Great. ...

For many centuries the region of Uzbekistan was ruled by Iranian Empires, including the Parthian and Sassanid Empires. Reproduction of a Parthian warrior as depicted on Trajans Column The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Origins Bust of Parthian soldier, Esgh-abad Museum, Turkmenia. ... Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian) was the name given to the kings of Persia during the era of the second Persian Empire, from 224 until 651, when the last Sassanid shah, Yazdegerd III, lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Umayyad Caliphate...

In the fourteenth century AD, Timur, known in the west as Tamerlane, overpowered the Mongols and built an empire. In his military campaigns, Tamerlane reached as far as the Middle East. He defeated Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, who was captured, and died in captivity. Tamerlane sought to build a capital for his empire in Samarkand. Today Tamerlane is considered to be one of the greatest heroes in Uzbekistan. He plays a significant role in its national id and history. Following the fall of the Timurid Empire, Uzbek nomads conquered the region. For the similar-sounding word Timor, see Timor (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mongols (disambiguation). ... The Osmanli Dynasty, also the House of Osman, ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1281 to 1923, beginning with Osman I (not counting his father, Ertuğrul), though the dynasty was not proclaimed until 1383 when Murad I declared himself sultan. ... // Bayezid I (Ottoman: بايزيد الأول, Turkish: Beyazıt, nicknamed Yıldırım (Ottoman: ییلدیرم), the Thunderbolt; 1354–1403) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402. ... Timurids Map The Timurids were a Turkic-Mongol dynasty of Iran established by the Mongol Timur (Tamerlane). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

In the nineteenth century, the Russian Empire began to expand, and spread into Central Asia. The "Great Game" period is generally regarded as running from approximately 1813 to the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. Following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 a second less intensive phase followed. At the start of the 19th century, there were some 2,000 miles (3,200 km) separating British India and the outlying regions of the Tsarist Russia. Much of the land in between was unmapped. This Orlat plaque, found in Uzbekistan, depicts a battle of warriors in cataphract, thought to be Sakas or Sogdians. ... Parthian cataphract fighting a lion. ... Saka is also the name of a town in Hiroshima, Japan; for information on this town, see Saka, Hiroshima. ... The Sogdians were an ancient people of Central Asia, who inhabited the region known to the West as Sogdiana. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The subject of this article was previously also known as Russia. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... The Great Game is a term, usually attributed to Arthur Connolly, used to describe the rivalry and strategic conflict between the British Empire and the Tsarist Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia. ... The blue areas were to be Russian controlled, while the southeast pink region was to be British. ... For other uses, see October Revolution (disambiguation). ... Anthem God Save The Queen/King British India, circa 1860 Capital Calcutta (1858-1912), New Delhi (1912-1947) Language(s) Hindi, Urdu, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1877-1901 Victoria  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - January-December 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George... Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start...

By the beginning of the twentieth century, Central Asia was firmly in the hands of Russia and despite some early resistance to Bolsheviks, Uzbekistan and the rest of Central Asia became a part of the Soviet Union. On 27 October, 1924 the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic was created. On August 31, 1991, Uzbekistan declared independence, marking September 1 as a national holiday. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Bolshevik Party Meeting. ... State motto: Бутун дунё пролетарлари, бирлашингиз! Official language None. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The country is now the world's second-largest exporter of cotton - while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mineral (disambiguation). ... Petro redirects here. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Uzbekistan

Islom Karimov - President of Uzbekistan

Constitutionally, the Government of Uzbekistan provides for democracy. In reality, the executive holds a great deal of power and the legislature and judiciary has little power to shape laws. Under terms of a December 1995 referendum, Islom Karimov's first term was extended. Another national referendum was held January 27, 2002 to yet again extend Karimov's term. The referendum passed and Karimov's term was extended by act of the parliament to December 2007. Most international observers refused to participate in the process and did not recognize the results, dismissing them as not meeting basic standards. The 2002 referendum also included a plan to create a bicameral parliament, consisting of a lower house (the Oliy Majlis) and an upper house (Senate). Members of the lower house are to be "full time" legislators. Elections for the new bicameral parliament took place on December 26, but no truly independent opposition candidates or parties were able to take part. The OSCE limited observation mission concluded that the elections fell significantly short of OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections. Several political parties have been formed with government approval. Similarly, although multiple media outlets (radio, TV, newspaper) have been established, these either remain under government control or rarely broach political topics. Independent political parties were allowed to organize, recruit members, and hold conventions and press conferences, but have been denied registration under restrictive registration procedures. Terrorist bombings were carried out March 28-April 1, 2004 in Tashkent and Bukhara. The movement toward economic reform in Uzbekistan has not been matched by movement toward political reform. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (623x779, 123 KB) This image was copied from wikipedia:en. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (623x779, 123 KB) This image was copied from wikipedia:en. ... Islom Abdug‘aniyevich Karimov (Russian: Ислам Абдуганиевич Каримов Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov; Uzbek: Ислом Абдуғаниевич Каримов Islom Abdug`aniyevich Karimov) (born on 30 January 1938) has served as the President of Uzbekistan since 1990. ... Islom Abdug‘aniyevich Karimov (Russian: Ислам Абдуганиевич Каримов Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov; Uzbek: Ислом Абдуғаниевич Каримов Islom Abdug`aniyevich Karimov) (born on 30 January 1938) has served as the President of Uzbekistan since 1990. ... The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an international organization for security. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ... Bukhara (Tajik: Бухоро; Persian: , Buxârâ; Uzbek: ; Russian: ), from the Soghdian βuxārak (lucky place), is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat). ...

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Uzbekistan

The Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan asserts that "democracy in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be based upon common human principles, according to which the highest value shall be the human being, his life, freedom, honor, dignity and other inalienable rights." The human rights record of Uzbekistan reflects its status as a dictatorship. ...

However, non-government human rights watchdogs, such as IHF, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, as well as United States Department of State and Council of the European Union define Uzbekistan as "an authoritarian state with limited civil rights"^[2] and express profound concern about "wide-scale violation of virtually all basic human rights" ^[3]. According to the reports, the most widespread violations are torture, arbitrary arrests, and various restrictions of freedoms: of religion, of speech and press, of free association and assembly ^[4]. The reports maintain that the violations are most often committed against members of religious organizations, independent journalists, human right activists, and political activists, including members of the banned opposition parties. In 2005, Uzbekistan was included into Freedom House's "The Worst of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies". NGO redirects here. ... The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights is a self-governing group of non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations that act to protect human rights throughout Europe, North America and Central Asia. ... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amnesty international Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience... Department of State redirects here. ... Established 1952 Presiding Country Portugal President Luís Amado President in Office José Sócrates Members 27 (at one time) Political parties 7, including: European Peoples Party Party of European Socialists Meeting place Justus Lipsius, Brussels, Belgium, European Union Web site http://www. ... Freedom House is a United States-based international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights. ...

The official position is summarized in a memorandum "The measures taken by the government of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the field of providing and encouraging human rights" ^[5] and amounts to the following. The government does everything that is in its power to protect and to guarantee the human rights of Uzbekistan`s citizens. Uzbekistan continuously improves its laws and institutions in order to create a more humane society. Over 300 laws regulating the rights and basic freedoms of the people have been passed by the parliament. For instance, an office of Ombudsman was established in 1996 ^[6] . On August 2, 2005, President Islom Karimov signed a decree that was to abolish capital punishment in Uzbekistan on January 1, 2008. For the Canadian television series, see Ombudsman (TV series). ...

The 2005 civil unrest in Uzbekistan, which resulted in several hundred people being killed is viewed by many as a landmark event in the history of human rights abuse in Uzbekistan,^[7][8][9] A concern has been expressed and a request for an independent investigation of the events has been made by the United States, European Union, the UN, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. The government of Uzbekistan is accused of unlawful termination of human life, denying its citizens freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. The government vehemently rebuffs the accusations, maintaining that it merely conducted an anti-terrorist operation, exercising only necessary force.^[10] In addition, some officials claim that "an information war on Uzbekistan has been declared" and the human rights violations in Andijan are invented by the enemies of Uzbekistan as a convenient pretext for intervention into the country's internal affairs.^[11] Map of eastern Uzbekistan Uzbek troops fired into a crowd of protesters in an attempt to squash civil unrest in the eastern city of Andijan, Uzbekistan in May 2005. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Uzbekistan

See also: List of cities in Uzbekistan

Map of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is approximately the size of Morocco and has an area of 447,400 square kilometers (172,700 sq mi). It is the 56th-largest country in the world. UZBEKISTAN Central Asia, north of Afghanistan Geographic coordinates: 41°00′ N 64°00′ E Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States Area: total: 447,400 km² land: 425,400 km² water: 22,000 km² Area - comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km... This is a list of cities in Uzbekistan. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 783 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1387 × 1062 pixel, file size: 450 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 783 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1387 × 1062 pixel, file size: 450 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Uzbekistan stretches 1,425 kilometers (885 mi) from west to east and 930 kilometers (578 mi) from north to south. Bordering Turkmenistan to the southwest, Kazakhstan and the Aral Sea to the north, and Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to the south and east, Uzbekistan is not only one of the larger Central Asian states but also the only Central Asian state to border all the other four. Uzbekistan also shares a short border with Afghanistan to the south. The Aral Sea (Kazakh: Арал Теңізі, Aral Tengizi, Uzbek: , Russian: Аральскοе мοре) is a landlocked endorheic sea in Central Asia; it lies between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, in the south. ... Central Asia is a region of Asia. ...

Lake Tcharvak

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country; it is one of two double-landlocked countries in the world – the other being Liechtenstein. 10% of its territory is intensely cultivated irrigated river valleys. The highest point in Uzbekistan is Adelunga Toghi at 4,301 meters (14,111 ft). A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ...

The Climate in the Republic of Uzbekistan is continental, with little precipitation expected annually (100–200 milimeters, or 3.9–7.9 inches). The average summer temperature tends to be 40 °C, while the average winter temperature is around 0  °C.^[12] For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ...

Major cities include: Bukhara, Samarqand and Tashkent. Bukhara (Tajik: Бухоро; Persian: , Buxârâ; Uzbek: ; Russian: ), from the Soghdian βuxārak (lucky place), is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat). ... Samarkand (Samarqand or Самарқанд in Uzbek) (population 400,000) is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan, capital of the Samarkand region (Samarqand Wiloyati). ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ...

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is divided into twelve provinces (viloyatlar, singular viloyat, compound noun viloyati e.g. Toshkent viloyati, Samarqand viloyati, etc.), one autonomous republic (respublika, compound noun respublikasi e.g. Qaraqalpaqstan Avtonom Respublikasi, Karakalpakistan Autonomous Republic, etc.), and one independent city (shahar. compound noun shahri , e.g. Toshkent shahri). Names are given below in the Uzbek language, although numerous variations of the transliterations of each name exist. Uzbekistan is divided into twelve provinces (singular: viloyat, plural: viloyatlar) (capitals in parentheses)- Andijon Province (Andijon) Buxoro Province (Buxoro) Fargona Province (Fargona) Jizzakh Province (Jizzakh) Namangan Province (Namangan) Navoiy Province (Navoiy) Qashqadaryo Province (Qarshi) Samarqand Province (Samarqand) Sirdaryo Province (Guliston) Surxondaryo Province (Termiz) Toshkent Province (Toshkent) Xorazm Province... A province is a territorial unit, almost always a country subdivision. ... A wilaya is an administrative subdivision usually translated as province. ... A significant number of autonomous republics can be found within the successor states of the Soviet Union, but the majority are located within Russia. ... An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. ... The introduction of this article does not provide enough context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. ... Uzbek (O‘zbek tili in Latin script, Ўзбек тили in Cyrillic script) is an Eastern Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan. ...

The statistics for Toshkent Viloyati also include the statistics for Toshkent Shahri. Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Uzbekistan ... Andijan Province (Uzbek: Andijon viloyati / Russian: Андижон вилояти) is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan, located in the eastern part of the Fergana Valley in far eastern Uzbekistan. ... Andijan (also Andijon, Andizhan, Andizan) is a city of western Uzbekistan. ... Buxoro Province (Bukhara Province) (Uzbek: Buxoro viloyati / Бухоро вилояти) is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan located in the southwest of the country。The Kyzyl-Kum Desert takes up a large portion of its territory. ... Bukhara (Tajik: Бухоро; Persian: , Buxârâ; Uzbek: ; Russian: ), from the Soghdian βuxārak (lucky place), is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat). ... Fergana Province (Uzbek: Fargona viloyati / Russian: Ферганская область) is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan, located in the southern part of the Fergana Valley in far eastern Uzbekistan. ... Fergana Fergana or Farghana (Uzbek: Fargona [Фарғона], Russian: Фергана, Tajik: Фарғона) is a city (1999 population: 182,800), the capital of Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southern edge of the Fergana Valley in southern Central Asia, cutting across the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. ... The Jizzak Region comprises southeastern part of the Golodny Steppes and parts of the Kizil-Kum Desert. ... Jizzakh (or Jizzax) is a city in central Uzbekistan, northwest of Samarkand. ... Xorazm Province, (Uzbek: Xorazm viloyati / Хоразм вилояти) or (Khorezm Province) as it is still more commonly known, is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan located in the northwest of the country in the lower reaches of the Amu-Darya River. ... Urgench (Uzbek: Urganch / Урганч) is city (1989 pop. ... Namangan Province (Uzbek:Namangan viloyati / Russian: Наманган вилояти) is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan, located in the southern part of the Fergana Valley in far eastern Uzbekistan. ... Namangan (Russian:Наманган), is a city (1994 pop. ... Navoiy Province is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan located in the southwest of the country. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Qashqadaryo Province (Uzbek: Qashqadaryo viloyati / Қашқадарё вилояти, old spelling Kashkadarya Province) is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan, located in the southern part of Uzbekistan in the basin of the Qashqadaryo River and the western slopes of the Pamir Mountains. ... Karshi is a city in southern Uzbekistan. ... Karakalpakstan (Uzbek: Qoraqalpogiston Respublikasi or Қорақалпоғистон Республикаси; Karakalpak: Қарақалпақстан Республикасы or Qaraqalpaqstan Respublikası) is an autonomous republic of Uzbekistan. ... Nukus (Karakalpak: Nökis/Нөкис) is the sixth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and the capital of the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic. ... Samarqand Province (Samarkand Province) (Uzbek: Samarqand viloyati/ Самарқанд вилояти) is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan located in the center of the country in the basin of Zarafshan River. ... Samarkand (Samarqand or Самарқанд in Uzbek) (population 400,000) is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan, capital of the Samarkand region (Samarqand Wiloyati). ... Srydarya Province or Сирдарё вилояти is an administration division, or viloyati of Uzbekistan, located in the center of the country on the left bank of Syr Darya River. ... Guliston (Gulistan) is the capital of Sirdarya Province in eastern Uzbekistan. ... Surkhandarya Province is in the southern part of Uzbekistan. ... Termez (Termiz in Uzbek; Termes in German) is a city in southern Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan. ... Toshkent Province is in the northeastern part of Uzbekistan, between the Syr Darya River and the Tien Shan Mountains. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ... Tashkent (Toshkent or Тошкент in Uzbek, Ташке́нт in Russian-meaning Stone City in English), the current capital of Uzbekistan, has in the past been called Chach, Shash and Binkent. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Uzbekistan

Along with many Commonwealth of Independent States economies, Uzbekistan's economy has recently shifted into high gear, recording 9.1% growth in the first quarter of 2007, along with a low inflation rate of 2.9%.^[13] However, Craig Murray, author of "Murder in Samarkand", suggests that official statistics about Uzbekistan are not trustworthy.^[14] The Government of Uzbekistan is moving cautiously towards a market-based economy for the Economy of Uzbekistan. ...  Member state  Associate member Headquarters Minsk, Belarus Working language Russian Type Commonwealth Membership 11 member states 1 associate member Leaders  -  Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev Establishment December 21, 1991 Website http://cis. ...

Uzbekistan has a very low GNI per capita (US$460 giving a PPP equivalent of US$1860).^[15] Economic production is concentrated in commodities: Uzbekistan is now the world's fourth-largest producer and the world's second-largest exporter of cotton, as well as the seventh largest world producer of gold. It is also a regionally significant producer of natural gas, coal, copper, oil, silver, and uranium.^[16] Agriculture contributes about 37% of GDP while employing 44% of the labor force.^[17] Unemployment and underemployment are estimated to be at least 20%.^[18] Gross National Income (GNI) was used to as gross national product (GNP), even though it was a measure of income rather than output (or production). ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... GDP is an acronym which can stand for more than one thing: (in economics) an abbreviation for Gross Domestic Product. ...

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

Facing a multitude of economic challenges upon acquiring independence, the government adopted an evolutionary reform strategy, with an emphasis on state control, reduction of imports, and self-sufficiency in energy. Since 1994, the state controlled media has repeatedly proclaimed the success of this "Uzbekistan Economic Model"^[19] and suggested that it is a unique example of a smooth transition to the market economy while avoiding shock, pauperization, and stagnation. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 1. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ...

The gradualist reform strategy has involved postponing significant macroeconomic and structural reforms. The state in the hands of the bureaucracy has remained a dominant influence in the economy. Corruption permeates the society: Uzbekistan's 2005 Index of perception of corruption is 137 out of 159 countries. A February 2006 report on the country by the International Crisis Group illustrates one aspect of this corruption: The new class is a term to describe the privileged ruling class of bureaucrats and Communist party functionaries which typically arises in a Stalinist communist state. ... Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Index of perception of corruption ordering the countries of the world according to the level of public perception of corruption of public and political functionaries. ... The International Crisis Group is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy. ...

Much of Uzbekistan’s GDP growth comes from favourable prices for certain key exports, especially cotton, gold, corn, and increasingly gas, but the revenues from these commodities are distributed among a very small circle of the ruling elite, with little or no benefit for the populace at large.^[20][21] At cotton-harvest time, all students are mobilized as unpaid labour^[22].

Samarkand

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, "the government is hostile to allowing the development of an independent private sector, over which it would have no control".^[23] Thus, the national bourgeoisie in general, and the middle class in particular, are marginalized economically, and, consequently, politically. Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... This entity, also known as EIU is part of The Economist Group. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ...

The economic policies have repelled foreign investment, which is the lowest per capita in the CIS.^[24] For years, the largest barrier to foreign companies entering the Uzbekistani market has been the difficulty of converting currency. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund,^[25] providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls and the tightening of borders have lessened the effect of this measure.  Member state  Associate member Headquarters Minsk, Belarus Working language Russian Type Commonwealth Membership 11 member states 1 associate member Leaders  -  Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev Establishment December 21, 1991 Website http://cis. ... IMF redirects here. ...

Inflation, although lower than in the mid-1990s, remained high until 2003 (an estimated 50% in 2002 and 21.9% in 2003^[26]). Tight economic policies in 2004 resulted in a drastic reduction of inflation, to 3.8% (although alternative estimates based on the price of a true market basket, put it at 15%^[27]). However, the relief appears to be transient, as the IMF estimate of CPI-based inflation in Uzbekistan in 2005 is 14.1%.^[28] The term market basket or commodity bundle refers to a specific type of basket, or a fixed list of items used specifically to track the progress of inflation in an economy or specific market. ... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

The government of Uzbekistan restricts foreign imports in many ways, including high import duties. Excise taxes are applied in a highly discriminatory manner to protect locally produced goods. Official tariffs are combined with unofficial, discriminatory charges resulting in total charges amounting to as much as 100 to 150% of the actual value of the product, making imported products virtually unaffordable.^[29] Import substitution is an officially declared policy and the government proudly reports a reduction by a factor of two in the volume of consumer goods imported.^[30] A number of CIS countries are officially exempt from Uzbekistan import duties.

The Republican Stock Exchange (RSE) 'Tashkent' opened in 1994. It houses a securities exchange, real estate traders, the national investment fund and the national securities depositary. It does not trade all joint-stock companies each month and therefore market capitalisation varies widely.^[31]

Uzbekistan's external position has been strong since 2003. Thanks in part to the recovery of world market prices of gold and cotton, the country's key export commodities, expanded natural gas and some manufacturing exports, and increasing labour migrant transfers the current account turned into a large surplus - of between 9 and 11 per cent of GDP in 2003-05 - and foreign exchange reserves, including gold, more than doubled to around US$3 billion.^[32]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Uzbekistan

Boys pose for a picture at Registan. Over a third of Uzbekistan's population is under 14 years old.

Uzbekistan is Central Asia's most populous country. Its 27.7 million people^[1] comprise nearly half the region's total population. Uzbekistan is Central Asias most populous country. ... Categories: Central Asia geography stubs | Buildings and structures in Uzbekistan ...

The population of Uzbekistan is very young: 34.1% of its are people are younger than 14. According to official sources, Uzbeks comprise a majority (80%) of the total population. Other ethnic groups include Russians 5.5%, Tajiks 5%, Kazakhs 3%, Karakalpaks 2.5%, and Tatars 1.5%.^[33] There is some controversy about the percentage of the Tajik population. While official numbers from Uzbekistan put the number at 5%, some Western scholars believe it to be much higher, going as high as 40%.^[34]. There is also an ethnic Korean population that was forcibly relocated to Uzbekistan by Stalin in the 1930s. There are also small groups of Armenians in Uzbekistan, mostly in Tashkent and Samarkand. The nation is 88% Muslim (mostly Sunni, with a 5% Shi'a minority), 9% Eastern Orthodox and 3% other faiths. The US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2004 reports that 0.2% of the population are Buddhist (these being ethnic Koreans). The Bukharian Jews have lived in Central Asia, mostly in Uzbekistan, for thousands of years. There were also an estimated 93,000 Jews in Uzbekistan in the early 1990s (source Library of Congress Country Studies). But now, since the collapse of the USSR, most Central Asian Jews left the region for the United States or Israel. Only about 500-1,500 Jews remain in Uzbekistan. Language(s) Persian (varieties of Dari and Tajiki) Religion(s) Islam (predominantly Sunni, with sizable Ithna Ashari and Ismaili minorities) TājÄ«k (Persian: ; UniPers: Tâjik; Tajik: ) is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking peoples of Iranian origin living east of Iran. ... Languages Kazakh (and/or languages in country of residence) Religions Sunni Islam The Kazakhs (also spelled Kazaks, Qazaqs; Kazakh: Қазақтар []; Russian: Казахи; the English name is transliterated from Russian) are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia (largely Kazakhstan, but also found in parts of Uzbekistan, China, Russia, and... The Karakalpaks are ethnic group of Turkic people who mainly live in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya and in the (former) delta of Amu Darya on the southern shore of the Aral Sea. ... This article is about the people. ... Not by Their Own Will. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Shia Islam ( Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite or Shiite) is the second largest Islamic denomination; some 20-25% of all Muslims are said to follow a Shia tradition. ... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Languages Traditionally Bukhari, Russian and Hebrew spoken in addtion. ...

At least 10 percent of the Uzbekistan's labour force works abroad (mostly in Russia and Kazakhstan).^[35]

Uzbekistan has a 99.3% literacy rate among adults older than 15,^[36] which is attributable to the free and universal education system of the Soviet Union.

Languages

The Uzbek Language is the only official state language ^[37]. Russian is still an important language for interethnic communication, including much day-to-day technical, scientific, governmental and business use. Tajiki is also used in some areas (Tajiks are found primarily in the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, with scattered populations elsewhere). Uzbek (O‘zbek tili in Latin script, Ўзбек тили in Cyrillic script) is an Eastern Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan. ... Tajik or Tadjik (тоҷикӣ, تاجیکی, tojikí) is a descendant of the Persian language spoken in Central Asia. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... Bukhara (Tajik: Бухоро; Persian: , Buxârâ; Uzbek: ; Russian: ), from the Soghdian βuxārak (lucky place), is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat). ...

Communications

Main article: Communications in Uzbekistan

According to the official source report, as of 1 July 2007, there were 3.7 million users of cellular phones in Uzbekistan.^[38] The largest mobile operator in terms of number of subscribers is MTS-Uzbekistan (former Uzdunrobita and part of Russian Mobile TeleSystems) and it is followed by Beeline (part of Russia's Beeline) and Coscom (owned by US MCT Corp., but there is news that it is selling its asset to TeliaSonera.^[39] Telephones - main lines in use: 1. ...

As of 1 July 2007, the estimated number of internet users was 1.8 million, according to UzACI.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, the nation's capital and largest city, has a three-line subway built in 1977, and expanded in 2001 after ten years' independence from the Soviet Union. Uzbekistan is currently the only country in Central Asia with a subway system, and it is considered to be one of the cleanest systems in the world.^{[citation needed]} There are government operated trams, buses and trolley buses running across the city. There are also many taxis, both registered and unregistered. Uzbekistan has car-producing plants which produce modern cars. The car production is supported by the government and the Korean auto company Daewoo. The Uzbek government acquired a 50% stake in Daewoo in 2005 for an undisclosed sum, and in May 2007 UzDaewooAuto, the car maker, signed a strategic agreement with General Motors-Daewoo Auto and Technology (GMDAT).^[40] The government also bought a stake in Turkey's Koc in SamKocAuto, a producer of small buses and lorries. Afterwards, it signed an agreement with Isuzu Motors of Japan to produce Isuzu buses and lorries.^[41] Railways: total: 3,380 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 3,380 km 1. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ... This article is about the chaebol Daewoo Group. ...

Train links connect many towns within Uzbekistan, as well as ne