About Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s tourism opportunities in the focus of media attention in Sweden
03 November 2023
Uzbekistan’s tourism opportunities in the focus of media attention in Sweden

The largest Swedish daily newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" published an article dedicated to the tourism potential of Uzbekistan.

“Uzbekistan is the shining pearl of the Silk Road. Modern cities of Uzbekistan – lands with a rich history, sparkle under the scorching sun, like pearls scattered along the ancient Silk Road thousands of years ago,” the detailed publication is entitled.

The article notes that more than 8,400 cultural heritage sites can be found in Uzbekistan, 209 of which are part of four museum cities included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are also various tourist destinations in Uzbekistan, beautiful natural landscapes, national parks, mountains, deserts and forests, ski resorts, winemaking and gastronomy. Ancient historical monuments of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Tashkent, Shakhrisabz, Urgench, Termez, and Karakalpakstan were described as the basis of historical and educational tourism in Uzbekistan.

The Swedish newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" writes about Samarkand as a living world legend, whose history goes back more than 2,700 years.

“This is a city that existed during the times of Ancient Rome and Babylon. Located in the southeast of Uzbekistan, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia,” the article notes. “Samarkand flourished due to its location on the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean and throughout centuries remained one of the greatest cities in Central Asia."

Ancient Bukhara was described in the article as a city known as the “Shining Pearl of the Silk Road”, the fifth largest city of Uzbekistan, which is more than 2,500 years old. “There is a legend that when Genghis Khan’s troops ravaged Central Asia during his campaigns against Europe, a high minaret, guarding the Kalyan mosque in Bukhara, was the only structure that he did not destroy." – the author writes.

Then comes Khiva, which is a beautiful oasis city with ancient walls, minarets and unique clay buildings. This is also the only city on whose territory there is a real medieval fortress of Ichan-Kala.

The author highlights Khiva as unique, where everything is so authentic: food, people, speech and even architecture. Almost everything has been preserved in its original form. “The streets are paved with stone. Like chess pieces, you can see minarets, domes of madrassas and mosques everywhere. Even modern buildings are inspired by antiquity,” says the article.

One can write endlessly about the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan, but it should be noted that the Uzbek national cuisine is also one of the most diverse and colorful in the world.

The newspaper also draws attention to the diversity and unique taste of Uzbek national cuisine. As noted by the author, Uzbekistan is a paradise for gourmets. The journalist suggests to see and visit Uzbekistan once rather than hearing about it a hundred times.

The convenient transport infrastructure of our country created for those traveling in Uzbekistan is also appreciated in the article. According to the author, due to the very convenient infrastructure designed for tourists taking a trip to Uzbekistan, you can travel alone, with friends or family, or as part of a group tour with a guide who will take you along a pre-planned route in accordance with your goals and planned travel budget.

And finally, the author concludes the article dedicated to Uzbekistan as follows: “Welcome to the most hospitable country”, which is indeed a brilliant comment about Uzbek people’s hospitality, who welcome those visiting Uzbekistan with warm and generous hospitality. 

More news about Uzbekistan
A new hotel with a unique concept launches in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

A 4-star hotel with a new concept - robot-concierge services has been launched in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

04 March 2022
Steven Seagal to open the new cinema in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

As a part of the film festival, the famous actor will also hold a series of master classes on acting and film directing for the beginner cinema professionals of Uzbekistan.

26 September 2021
Uzbekistan’s three national elements included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list

With the approval of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee, three elements nominated by Uzbekistan were included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 6 December 2023.

08 December 2023
Did you know?

Uzbekistan is one of only two countries in the world to be ‘double landlocked’ (landlocked and totally surrounded by other landlocked countries). Liechtenstein is double landlocked by 2 countries whilst Uzbekistan is surrounded by 5!

Did you know that Uzbekistan lies in the very heart of Eurasia, the coordinates for Uzbekistan are 41.0000° N, 69.0000°

Uzbekistan is home to the Muruntan gold mine, one of the largest open pit gold mines in the world! The country has 4th largest reserves of gold in the world after South Africa, USA and Russia

Uzbekistan is the world capital of melons. They have in excess of 150 different varieties, which form a staple part of the local diet, served fresh in the summer and eaten dried through the winter.

It is Uzbek tradition that the most respected guest be seated farthest from the house’s entrance.

Tashkent’s metro features chandeliers, marble pillars and ceilings, granite, and engraved metal. It has been called one of the most beautiful train stations in the world.

The Uzbek master chef is able to cook in just one caldron enough plov to serve a thousand men.

When you are a host to someone, it is your duty to fill their cups with for the whole time they are with you.  What you must not do, however, is to fill their cup more than half-full.  If you do that as a mistake, say it is a mistake immediately.  Doing it means you want them to leave.  Wow!  Amazing, right?

To Uzbeks, respect means a whole lot.  For this reason they love it if, even as foreigners, you endeavour to add the respectful suffix opa after a woman's name; and aka after a man's.  Example: Linda-opa and David-aka.  You could also use hon and jon respectively.

Having been an historic crossroads for centuries as part of various ancient empires, Uzbekistan’s food is very eclectic. It has its roots in Iranian, Arab, Indian, Russian and Chinese cuisine.

Though identified with the Persia, the Zoroastrism probably originated in Bactria or Sogdiana. Many distinguished scholars share an opinion that Zoroastrianism had originated in the ancient Khorezm. Indeed, today in the world there were found 63 Zoroastrian monuments, including those in Iran, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thirty-eight of them are in Uzbekistan, whereas 17 of these monuments are located in Khorezm.

One of Islam's most sacred relics - the world's oldest Koran that was compiled in Medina by Othman, the third caliph or Muslim leader, is kept in Tashkent. It was completed in the year 651, only 19 years after Muhammad's death. 

Tashkent is the only megapolis in the world where public transport is totally comprised of Mercedes buses. And due to low urban air polution it is one of the few cities where one can still see the stars in the sky.

You would be surprised to know that modern TV was born in Tashkent. No joke! The picture of moving objects was transmitted by radio first time in the world in Tashkent on 26 of July 1928 by inventors B.P. Grabovsky and I.F. Belansky.

Uzbekistan is the only country in the world all of whose neighbours have their names ending in STAN. This is also the only country in Central Asia that borders all of the countries of this region

Uzbeks are the third populous Turkik ethnicity in the world after Turks and Azeris (leaving both in Azerbaijan and Iran)

Did you know that there was silk money in Khiva? Super interesting right? Of course, but the best part of having silk money was that it could be sewn into your clothing.

Famous Islamic physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna in the Latin world) who was born near Bukhara was the one of the first people to advocate using women’s hair as suture material – about 1400 years ago.

Uzbekistan has a long and bloody history. The most notorious leader of Uzbekistan was Timur (or Tamerlane) who claimed descent from Genghis Khan. His military campaigns have been credited for wiping out some 5% of the world’s population at the time.

If you have thought that some of the Islamic architecture in Uzbekistan resembles that from Northern India, then that is because Timur’s great great great Grandson, Babur Beg, was the founder of the Moghul Empire that ruled much of India for almost four centuries! Babur’s great great Grandson was Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal.

Uzbekistan was once a rum producig country. There is still a real arboretum in Denau (city near Termez on the border with Afghanistan), grown from a selection station that studied the prospects of plant growing in the unusual for the Soviet Union subtropical climate of Surkhandarya region: only here in the whole of the USSR sugar cane was grown and even rum was produced!

Uzbekistan has been ranked one of the safest countries in the world, according to a new global poll. The annual Gallup Global Law and Order asked if people felt safe walking at night and whether they had been victims of crime. The survey placed Uzbekistan 5th out of 135 countries, while the UK was 21st and the US 35th. Top five safest countries:

  • Singapore
  • Norway
  • Iceland
  • Finland
  • Uzbekistan
Exchange rates
100 RUR
14268.8 UZS
100 USD
1298907.01 UZS
100 EUR
1354424.04 UZS
100 GBP
1615060.71 UZS
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Samarkand
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