Tashkent

Tashkent (/tæʃˈkɛnt/ ^ⓘ), also known as Toshkent, is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of more than 3 million people as of April 1, 2024. It is located in northeastern Uzbekistan, near the border with Kazakhstan.

Before the influence of Islam in the mid-8th century AD, Sogdian and Turkic culture was predominant. After Genghis Khan destroyed the city in 1219, it was rebuilt and profited from its location on the Silk Road. From the 18th to the 19th centuries, the city became an independent city-state, before being re-conquered by the Khanate of Kokand. In 1865, Tashkent fell to the Russian Empire; as a result, it became the capital of Russian Turkestan. In Soviet times, it witnessed major growth and demographic changes due to forced deportations from throughout the Soviet Union. Much of Tashkent was destroyed in the 1966 Tashkent earthquake, but it was soon rebuilt as a model Soviet city. It was the fourth-largest city in the Soviet Union at the time, after Moscow, Leningrad and Kyiv.

Tashkent plays a central role in the country's economic and human development. As of 2024, it recorded the highest HDI among Uzbekistan's regions, with a score of 0.840, reflecting significant progress in education, healthcare, and living standards. Economically, Tashkent was the leading contributor to the national GDP, accounting for 19% of Uzbekistan’s GDP in the first half of 2024. This economic dominance is supported by ongoing infrastructure development and urban modernization projects aimed at enhancing its role as a financial and commercial hub. Nonetheless, the city faces challenges such as environmental concerns and the need for sustainable investment in public services.

Today, as the capital of an independent Uzbekistan, Tashkent retains a multiethnic population, with ethnic Uzbeks as the majority. In 2009, it celebrated 2,200 years of its written history. The master plan of Tashkent until 2045 was approved.