Uzbekistan

Tashkent is Uzbekistan’s capital and largest city, the seat of government and main economic hub. The capital moved from Samarkand to Tashkent in 1930 during the Soviet era and remained so after independence in 1991. Near the Kazakhstan border, Tashkent is a major transport crossroads; after a devastating 1966 earthquake, it was rebuilt with wide avenues and gained one of Central Asia’s first metros, famed for its ornate stations. Don’t be misled by the historic prestige of Samarkand and Bukhara—both are legendary Silk Road cities and UNESCO sites but not the capital. Nukus is the capital of the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, noted for the Savitsky Museum. Memory tip: Tashkent = “cash-cent”—think of it as today’s administrative and economic center.