With rich history, stunning architecture, spectacular scenery, and sumptuous food, Uzbekistan in Central Asia packs quite the punch. Let’s take a peek at some interesting facts about the land of the Uzbeks!
1. Officially the Republic of Uzbekistan, it is a secular, unitary constitutional republic comprising 12 provinces or vilayats.
2. Uzbekistan is one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world. The other one is Liechtenstein in Central Europe.
Doubly landlocked country is a landlocked country surrounded by other landlocked countries on all sides.
3. Uzbekistan is surrounded by five landlocked countries viz., Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Tajikistan to the southeast, Afghanistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest.
4. Uzbekistan is Central Asia’s most populated country. Nearly 50% of Central Asia’s population resides in Uzbekistan.
5. Tashkent is Uzbekistan’s capital and largest city. It is also the most populous city in former USSR Central Asia.
6. Uzbekistan is a picturesque country with diverse terrain. In the west, the country has flat plateaus and lowlands; in the east, it has soaring mountains and semi-arid grasslands; whereas in the center lies the Kyzylkum Desert, the world’s 15th largest desert.
7. Uzbekistan was the Iranian-speaking region of Transoxiana and Turan during ancient times. The region has been ruled by many powers, including the Scythians, Bactrians, Achaemenids, Macedonians, Parthians, Sasanians, and Persians.
8. In 1924, Uzbekistan became part of the Soviet Union. It remained so until 1991, when the Soviet Union was disintegrated and the independent Republic of Uzbekistan was formed.
9. In 2002, some ancient pyramids were discovered in Uzbekistan’s Qashqadaryo and Samarkand regions. They are believed to be about 2,700 years old.
10. While the primary language of Uzbekistan is Uzbek, Russian and Tajiki are also spoken widely in the country.
11. The world's largest open-pit gold mine is in Uzbekistan.
The Muruntau gold deposit in Uzbekistan’s Qizilqum Desert supposedly produces about two million ounces of gold every year.
12. Uzbekistan is the world’s 5th largest producer of cotton and the 2nd largest exporter too!
13. With plenty of oil and gas reserves, Uzbekistan is pretty self-sufficient in its energy needs.
14. In Uzbekistan, a handshake is acceptable only between two men. If you want to greet a woman, you’re supposed to bow with your hand over your heart.
15. The Uzbek cuisine is very eclectic. Palov or Plov is the country’s national dish, which is believed to have been invented in the kitchen of Alexander the Great.