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World > Middle East > Uzbekistan
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Uzbekistan |
Introduction:
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Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of 'white gold' (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.
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| Official name: |
Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Capital: |
name: Tashkent (Toshkent)
geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Government type: |
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch |
| Population: |
27,780,059 (July 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% |
| Official Currency: |
UZS |
| Currency code: |
UZS |
| Area: |
total: 447,400 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km
water: 22,000 sq km |
| Climate: |
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east |
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Map of Uzbekistan
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