Uzbekistan General Information

Quick Facts

Region: Central Asia

Population:
28,268,000

Religion:

Islam is the main religion, with most following the Sunni tradition. Small minority groups include Christians and Jews.

Language:

Uzbek is the official language and is also the most widely spoken non-Slavic language in central Asia. It is a Turkic language and started off by using Roman script, before converting to Cyrillic after 1941. In recent times there has been a shift back to using Roman script, as it is seen as a way of getting better access to Western markets. Many older people will also speak Russian (a legacy of the Soviet era) and/or a second regional language such as Tadjik or Kyrgyz.

Area (sq. km):
447,400 square meters

Time:

GMT +5 hours

When to Travel

The climate is basically dry and hot, although subject to extremes in temperature. In the summer, it is not unusual to encounter temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius, whilst severe frosts and sub-zero temperatures can be encountered in winter. Most of the rain falls in spring (March and April).

The best time to visit is from April until early June (spring-early summer) and from late August to October (autumn).

Useful Travel Facts

Airports:

Tashkent International Airport is located 6 kilometres south-east of the city centre and 5 kilometres from the Tashkent ring road. Taxis are not metered and a ride into town may cost anything between US$4 and US$7.

Telephone:

Uzbekistan's phone system is antiquated and there may be changes taking place. Currently, to make a local call, you need to dial 0, then the city code. To dial into Uzbekistan from outside the country, you need to dial your international code followed by the country code for Uzbekistan (998), then the number. To call out of Uzbekistan, you need to dial 8, wait for a tone, then 10 and then the number you are calling (together with the relevant international code). Mobile (cell) phone coverage is limited outside main cities and does not generally support international roaming.

Electricity:

All former countries of the USSR uses European two-pin plugs (220V/50AC) - round pins with no earth connections.

Food:

Plov (Central Asia pilaf consisting of rice and fried vegetables) and shashlyk (barbecued meat) are the staple diet. Nan and similar round breads are also common. Other common dishes include meat and bean gruels and stuffed cabbage leaves. The food has a mixture of both Persian and Russian influences.

Transport:

On tour you will travel in mini-buses (usually a Toyota vehicle - either a Coaster or a Hi-ace). Road conditions are generally good between the major cities.

Shopping:

There are several things of interest to travellers and these can generally be found in the bazaars. The most popular items are carpets, hats, felt rugs, wall hangings, traditional clothes, silk, ceramics and other handicrafts.

Visa: <p> At the time of writing, a visa is required by all travellers visiting Uzbekistan. In order to obtain this visa, most nationalities need an official government invitation letter (issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tashkent). This letter is obtained on your behalf by our local operator and must be arranged through your travel agent. Please allow sufficient time (we recommend 2 months) to complete this process before you start your travels.<br /> If you believe you will have difficulty obtaining this visa before travel, please contact us well in advance to discuss your particular situation. All travellers must obtain this visa in advance of travel.</p> <p> The process for obtaining a visa can be lengthy &ndash; we recommend you finalise your travel arrangements approximately two months from your tour departure date and allow a minimum of six weeks before departure for this process (2-3 weeks for the authorization to be issued and 2-3 weeks applying at the Consulate or Embassy). It is possible for us to apply for the authorization while you process other visas or travel with your passport. We will assist you in obtaining the necessary authorization from Tashkent, but we require additional information in order to apply on your behalf. Once your booking is confirmed, we will email you detailed information including a form which needs to be completed and returned to us with a clear, colour scan of your passport in JPG format, approximately 250kb in size (the page with your photo and details &ndash; if you don&rsquo;t have access to a scanner, a clear digital photograph is usually acceptable). The form is not complex but does ask for personal information not included in your passport. Please try to complete and return the form via email as we forward the information to Tashkent in this format and this minimizes the risk of errors. After a period of 2-3 weeks you are provided with a reference number, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tashkent and you can then apply for the Uzbek visa at the Consulate or Embassy you have previously specified - this is your responsibility. We will need to know the Consulate or Embassy at which you are to apply for the visa, as your reference number will be sent to the specified Consulate or Embassy - so you cannot subsequently change your mind about where you will get the visa. This question appears on the electronic form mentioned above. Please note that the reference number is NOT an electronic visa or authority for visa-on-arrival &ndash; you MUST apply at the Consulate or Embassy and have a visa inserted into your passport before travel.</p>

Further Reading

There are a number of books which make interesting reading and provide insight in the history, politics and culture of the country. Suggestions are: The Great Game - Peter Hopkirk Setting the East Ablaze - Peter Hopkirk Land Beyond the River: The Untold Story of Central Asia - Monica Whitlock The Lost Heart of Asia - Colin Thubron Central Asia: A Travellers' Companion - Kathleen Hopkirk Central Asia - Lonely Planet