Basic Facts

Official Name:

Republic of Uzbekistan

Capital:

Tashkent

Area:

447,400 square kilometres
172,742 square miles

Major cities:

Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara

Type of government:

Republic

Independence:

31 August 1991 (from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics—USSR)

Constitution:

New constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Ethnic Divisions

1. Uzbek:

71.4 per cent

2. Russian:

8.3 per cent

3. Tajik:

4.7 per cent

4. Kazak:

4.1 per cent

5. Tatar:

2.4 per cent

6. Karakalpak:

2.1 per cent

7. Other:

7.0 per cent

Languages

1. Uzbek:

74.3 per cent

2. Russian:

14.2 per cent

3. Tajik:

4.4 per cent

4. Other:

7.1 per cent

Religions

1. Muslim (mostly Sunni):

88 per cent

2. Eastern Orthodox:

9 per cent

3. Other:

3 per cent