Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan This enigmatic country is of great interest especially for those travelers looking forward to explore the unbeaten road. Uzbekistan is a great escapade to discover the ex-soviet republics. Uzbekistan has good potential for developing ecological tourism and is working towards becoming a magnet to those nature lovers. Uzbekistan has always been a crossroad of different cultures specially during the Great Silk Route that brought silk from far China to the Middle East and Europe.

Area: 447.409 Km²
Population: 25.155.000
Density: 56 pop/Km²

System of government: Presidential Republic
Capital: Tashkent (2.280.000 pop.)
Major cities: Samarqand 380.000 pop., Andizan 194.000 pop., Namangan 150.000 pop.
Ethnic majority: Uzbek 70%, Russian 11%
Border countries:Kazakhstan NORTH-WEST, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan EAST, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan SOUTH

Principal mountains:Manas 4488 m
Principal rivers: Amudarja 2540 Km (total, with tajikistani, afghan and turkmen tracts)
Principal lakes: Aral Sea 41.000 Km² (with kazakhstani part), Lake Aydarkul 1050 Km², Sariqamish Kuli 800 Km² (with turkmen part)
Principal islands: -
Climate:Continental

Language: Uzbek (official), Russian
Religion: Muslim 78%
Currency: Uzbekistani Sum (UZS)

Fixed public holidays:1/1, 7/1, 8/3, 20, 21 or 22/3 (varies), 1/5, 9/5, 1/9, 18/11, 8/12
Dialling code: 00998
GMT: +5

World Heritage List:

• Itchan Kala (1990)
• Historic Centre of Bukhara (1993)
• Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (2000)
• Samarkand - Crossroads of Cultures (2001)