The Fergana Valley is the most densely populated region Uzbekistan and the country's granary and fruit store. The entire valley also extends over Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Regions
places
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- Andijan is a city with 300,000 inhabitants in the east of the valley.
- Fergana was only founded in 1877 and is now the capital of the region and is suitable as a starting point for exploring the valley.
- Kokand is the historic capital of the Kokand Khanate.
- Margilan is the center of silk production. Several factories can be visited.
- Namangan the 400.00 inhabitant city is the Islamic center of Uzbekistan.
- Rishtan is known for its ceramic products - a craft that has centuries of tradition here.
Other goals
- Kamchik pass
background
The Fergana Valley is the heart of Central Asia and the fruit and granary of Uzbekistan. The high location and the protection of the mountains ensure a comparatively mild climate in winter and summer. In the times of the tsars the valley was a health resort. The region is known for the many agricultural products (silk, cotton, fruit and vegetables) and handicrafts (silk carpets, ceramics).
The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Alexander the Great incorporated the area into his kingdom in 329 BC. The Fergana Valley always belonged to other realms. The Mongols invaded the region in the 13th century and destroyed Kokand. Later the Timurids conquered the region and starting from here the conquest of India began after 1530 by the Mughal dynasty. From 1710 to 1876 the region was part of the Kokand Khanate before the region was annexed by the Russians.
During the Soviet era, after 1945, the mining of uranium ore began in the valley. Since independence in the early 1990s, the entire Fergana Valley has made the headlines time and again as a retreat for Islamist groups. Overall, the Fergana Valley is much more conservative than the rest of the country.
language
getting there
The 2.268 meter high Kamchik Pass is the only Uzbek road connection that the Fergana Valley with Tashkent and connects to the rest of the country. The pass road is closed to buses, so you have to come by car or taxi. The drive from Tashkent to Fergana Valley takes about 5 hours. If possible, you should make at least one trip by car, as you have great views of the mountains along the way. In winter the road is occasionally closed due to avalanches.
Fergana airport is open several times a week from Tashkent and Nukus approached. International connections continue to exist Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan.
