Uzbekistan is a Central Asian nation and former Soviet republic. It's known for its mosques, mausoleums and other sites linked to the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean. Samarkand, a major city on the route, contains a landmark of Islamic architecture: the Registan, a plaza bordered by 3 ornate, mosaic-covered religious schools dating to the 15th and 17th centuries.
Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Ethnic Groups: Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5%
Belief Systems: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Demographics:
Population: 28.7 million people (World Rank: 46th) (2014 estimate)
Population Density: 175 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 145th) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 1.14 %/yr (World Rank: 113th) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 68.2 years (World Rank: 164th) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 24.1 years (World Rank: 120th) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Uzbekistan
Worldatlas.com
Uzbekistan
World Factbook
Uzbekistan - Country Profile
U.S. Library of Congress
Uzbekistan - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Travel Info for Uzbekistan
Travelnotes.org
Uzbek Embassy
in Washington D.C.
Uzbek Government Web Sites
by Gunnar Anzinger
