Uzbekistan

The heart of the Silk Road — our home

Uzbekistan is our homeland, right in the middle of Central Asia! It has cities 2,500 years old — Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva — where Silk Road caravans once stopped. The capital, Tashkent, is the biggest city in Central Asia. Uzbekistan has desert (the Kyzylkum), mountains (Tian Shan, 4,600 m) and rivers (Amu Darya, Syr Darya). It can reach +45 °C in summer and −20 °C in winter. The flag shows a crescent and 12 stars — 12 months and 12 regions.

Capital: Tashkent. Language: Uzbek (official), Russian, Karakalpak.

The Republic of Uzbekistan became independent on 1 September 1991; area 448,978 km², population over 37 million (the most in Central Asia), 14 administrative units (12 regions, the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Tashkent city). One of only two 'doubly landlocked' countries in the world (with Liechtenstein). History: Sogdia, Khorezm, Bactria; the Achaemenids, Alexander, the Kushans, the Arabs (8th century), the Samanids, Genghis Khan, Amir Temur (14th century, capital Samarkand), the Emirate of Bukhara, the khanates of Khiva and Kokand, the Russian Empire (1865), the USSR. Ibn Sina, Biruni, al-Khwarizmi ('algorithm'), Ulugh Beg and Navoi came from this land. Economy: cotton ('white gold'), gold (10th in the world), gas, fruit, tourism (7 million a year). Seven UNESCO sites. The flag: blue (sky, water), white (peace), green (nature), red stripes (life).

Fun facts

• Uzbekistan is one of only two 'doubly landlocked' countries in the world.
• The word 'algorithm' comes from the name of al-Khwarizmi from Khorezm.
• Uzbekistan is the 10th largest gold producer in the world.