| Fergana Valley (Uzbekistan) | |
 | |
| State | Uzbekistan |
|---|---|
| Surface | 18,409 km² |
| Inhabitants | 8.695.000 (2005 estimate) |
Fergana Valley is the portion of the homonymous valley afferent to theUzbekistan.
To know
Geographical notes
Located in the southeastern part ofUzbekistan.
Spoken languages
The language spoken in this portion of the valley is Uzbek.
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
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- Andijan - Known above all for being the birthplace of the Timurid prince Zāhir ud-Dīn Mohammad, better known as Bābur, founder of the Mughal dynasty that ruled the fate of India for three centuries, Andijan is a historic city, today troubled by religious and ethnic conflicts which in 2004 resulted in the closure of the nearby border between Uzbekistan is Kyrgyzstan.
- Chust - Approximately 40 km west of Namangan.
- Fergana - Located at the southern edge of the valley, near the border line with Kyrgyzstan, Fergana it was founded in 1876, as the seat of the governor of Tsarist Russia. Its urban planning dates back to the subsequent Soviet era and its concentric plant with wide avenues flanked by modern buildings and wide avenues, recalls that of Tashkent.
- Kokand - Despite its modern urban planning, Kokand, the "city of winds" or even the "city of the boar", has preserved valuable monuments, erected at the time when it was the capital of an independent khanate, before succumbing to the tsarist troops of the general Mikhail Skobelev in 1883.
- Margilan - Just 20km northwest of Fergana, the city of Margilan it has a completely different oriental look with picturesque bazaars, large silk factories and traditional artisan factories. At the time of the Soviets it was famous for its black market, the largest in theUzbekistan. After the country's independence, the city turned into a conservative stronghold of Islam.
- Namangan - Major city of the valley and second of the country by population (475,700 inhabitants in 2014), Namangan it is located at the northern edge of the valley, about 300 km east of the capital Tashkent to which it is connected by a frequent train service. Like other cities in the region, Namangan has known a gradual rise of Islam thanks to the work of Wahhabism missionaries, who arrived in the city from Saudi Arabia, shortly after the proclamation of independence ofUzbekistan.
- Pop - Located in the province of Namangan, Pop (or also Pap), is a very ancient city whose ruins stand out about 6 km from today's town. The archaeological site is a candidate to be included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Other destinations
- Ahsiket (Akhsikath) - Village in the vicinity of which are the ruins of an ancient city founded between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. Destroyed by the Mongols in 1219, it flourished again in the Timurid period but was abandoned forever following an earthquake that destroyed it. The site is a candidate to be included in the list of World Heritage Sites.
- Shohimardon - High-altitude health resort in a valley of the Pamir-Alaj mountains, Shohimardon constitutes an exclave Uzbek in full territory Kyrgyz.
How to get
On the train
On 22 June 2016 the new railway line was inaugurated that allows you to reach the valley from the capitalUzbek without going through the Tajikistan. The old railway line built by the Soviets passed through the city Tajik of Chujand (Khujand) forcing foreign visitors who wanted to use the train to obtain an additional visa. The new line, completely electrified, passes through the Kamchiq tunnel of 19.5 km, significantly shortening the travel times between Tashkent and the city of Namangan.
How to get around
By car
It is possible to travel by taxi from one city to another.
By bus
There are microbuses that cover intercity routes.
