Kuramin Ridge, Uzbekistan http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mountains_of_Uzbekistan#mediaviewer/File:Kuramin_ridge.JPG German Stimban
Uzbekistan (Ўзбекистон) is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is in fact doubly landlocked, meaning it is surrounded only by neighboring countries which are also landlocked - it is only one of the two countries in the world exhibiting this unusual characteristic, with the other being Liechtenstein.
Uzbekistan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Tajikistan and Afghanistan to the southeast, and Turkmenistan to the south. Uzbekistan covers 447,400 sq km (172,742 sq mi) and has a population of 28 million (2011 estimate). Its capital and largest city is Tashkent.
Bridge across the Amu Darya river http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Amu_Darya#mediaviewer/File:%D0%9C%D0 %BE%D1%81%D1%82_%D0%90%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82-%D0%9A%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B8.JPG Elena8109
Uzbekistan is five hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+5). Its official currency is the Uzbekistan som (UZS). Traffic here is driven on the right. The phone IDD code is +998. The electricity is 220V/50Hz.
In 2010, Uzbekistan had an estimated nominal GDP of $37 billion, and a per capita nominal GDP of $1,320. Its per capita GDP at purchasing power parity was $3,015. It is a country with a wide gap between the rich and the poor, with 45% of the population living on less than $1.25 per day.
Church in Tashkent, Uzbekistan http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toshkent_christian_church.jpg Or2008
Over the ages, the land where Uzbekistan is located today has been conquered by different powers. It was conquered by the Mongols under Genghis Khan in the 13th century. By the 14th century it was under the tribal chieftain Timur, whose dynasty continued to rule the land until the 19th century, when it was absorbed by the Russian Empire, and was later part of the Soviet Union. On 27 October, 1924, it became the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic until it declared its independence on 31 August, 1991.
Planning your trip to Uzbekistan
Visitors who are not from a CIS country need a visa to enter Uzbekistan. A letter of invitation is no longer required of visitors from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, but is still required for visitors from the United States and Canada.
Tashkent International Airport (TAS) is the main gateway to Uzbekistan. It is also the biggest airport in Central Asia. As the base for national carrier Uzbekistan Airways, it has flights connecting it with various destinations including Athens, Bangkok, Beijing, Birmingham, Delhi, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, London-Heathrow, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, New York City, Paris, St Petersburg, and Tokyo.