Uzbekhstan

History

Uzbekistan is situated in the central part of Central Asia. It borders on Kazakhstan in the North, Turkmenistan – in the Southwest, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – in the East, Afghanistan – in the South. The general length of the borders is about 5300 kilometers. Uzbekistan takes vast territories – from the Ustyurt Plateau in the West to the Tian Shan and the Pamir Mountains in the East.Tashkent is the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It is situated in the Northeast of the Republic, in the middle part of Chirchik-Angren oasis. It is one of the ancient cities in Central Asia. Its history is more than 2 thousand years. In different periods Tashkent was called Chach, Shash, Bin-ket.Uzbekistan is a multinational Republic. The main part of the population is the Uzbeks (more than 71%). In anthropological terms, this people are of mixed descent. The Uzbeks refer to the south Caucasians of Central Asian Mesopotamia. At the same time a strong Mongoloid influence is traced in their formation. The literary Uzbek language belongs to the Karluk group of the western branch of Turkic languages. There are many different dialects in the spoken language. There is a deep historical connection between the Tajik and Uzbek languages. It reveals in phonetics, syntax, and especially in vocabulary.The official language of Uzbekistan is Uzbek. The Russian language is widely spread in the country and the Tajik language in many areas.The representatives of other Turkic nations live in Uzbekistan: the Kazakhs (4,1%), Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Uigurs and Tatars. In addition, there is a large community of the Tajiks speaking the Iranian language (4.7%). The significant part of the population is the Russian and Russian-speaking nations. The total number of them is about 16%. The Koreans, Arabs, Central Asian Gypsies and Jews, Germans and many others live also here. Uzbekistan's population is rapidly increasing.Uzbekistan is the Republic. The president is a head of the government and executive power. Legislative power is implemented by the Parliament - People's Assembly (Oliy Madjlis).Religion. According to the official data the Uzbeks are the Muslims - 88 % (generally Sunnites), orthodox - 9 %. 16 religious confessions are registered in Uzbekistan. The Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan proclaims freedom of conscience for all. According to the Constitution everyone has the right to profess any religion or no religion. The forced implanting of religious views is also unacceptable.The climate is sharply continental. The average temperature in January is +4 °C to −8 °C; July +22 °C to +42 °C. The average annual rainfall in the plains is 90-580 mm., in the mountainous regions - 460-910 mm.People in Uzbekistan are friendly and good-tempered. Uzbekistan is a multinational Republic. Traditional dances are popular in Uzbekistan. Music and art play an important role in cultural life of Uzbekistan. National and international festivals are regularly held around the country.Historical places, culture, national cuisine and opportunities for the active rest will interest even the most experienced travelers. Whether you are traveling en route through Uzbekistan or stay for a few weeks, you will find much interesting and exciting to see in Uzbekistan.State holidays:January 1 - New YearMarch 8 - Women's DayMarch 21 - Navruz (Islamic New Year)May 9 - Memorial DaySeptember 1 - Independence DayOctober 1 - Teacher's DayDecember 8 - Constitution Day.There are other religious holidays with varying dates: Ruza Khait and Kurban Khait