Uzbekistan

uzbekistanUzbekistan is a landlocked country located in Central Asia. It was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991 and then became a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Uzbekistan’s population is about 29 million people, and about 64 percent of these lives in rural areas. The name of the capital is Tashkent. Uzbekistan is a large, mostly desert and mountainous country, and only about 10 percent of its land is utilized for irrigated agriculture. Besides being a major cotton growing country, Uzbekistan is rich in gold, uranium, coal, copper, silver and natural gas reserves. The country is administratively divided into 12 provinces, which are subdivided into districts. Uzbekistan’s climate is continental, with scant rainfall. Its summers are hot and winters are bitter.

Acknowledgements

  • Authored by M. Kalim Qamar (April 2013)
  • Edited by Burton E. Swanson