Fergana region (Uzbekistan): districts, cities

In the beautiful Ferghana Valley, the Fergana region (Uzbekistan) is located. It is one of the most ancient and beautiful parts of the country. There are large ancient cities and small towns with a traditional way of life. Fergana region makes a significant contribution to the economy of the state and is of considerable interest for tourism.

Geography and biology

In the center of Central Asia is the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Ferghana region is located in the southern part of the Fergana Valley and is one of the 13 territorial and administrative districts of the country. Its area is 68 km ². The region occupies a flat area with a slight elevation above sea level to the southeast. The valley is represented by all kinds of landscape: it is protected by the Altai Range, and the northern part is occupied by steppes. The region is rich in water resources. The rivers flowing down from the mountains form a wide water network, which gathers in the Syr Darya River. The Central-Fergana water reservoir provides an additional water reserve.

A successful location in the fertile valley makes the world of the flora and fauna of the Fergana region extremely rich. A variety of plants grow here. Mostly the whole flora is of cultural origin, since the natural vegetation is the solonchak meadows alternating with oases. However, the man turned this land into real paradise bush. The animal world is also very interesting. Among the large animals here you can meet wild boars, foxes, wolves. But the greatest species diversity is found in small animals and birds.

History of settlement

The Ferghana region began to be inhabited as far back as the 1st-2nd century, when various Turkic tribes began to develop this territory. However, the ancient sites of people found by archaeologists date from the 7th to 5th centuries BC. On the territory of the region were found stone tools and remains in the vicinity of the Selengur parking lot. In total, scientists counted 13 cultural strata on this earth. Since 1709, the Kokand Khanate was established on the site of the Fergana region. Shahrukh II and his descendants ruled this land, expanding their borders at the expense of neighboring states.

In 1821, 12-year-old Madali Khan came to power, during whose reign the state significantly expanded its holdings and strengthened. Khanate was a very strong entity and retained its authority until 1842, until the lands departed to the Kirghiz ruler. For power over such a blessed land there was constantly an intense struggle between the sedentary people of the Sarts and nomads of the Kipchaks. The heads of the country constantly replaced each other. The history of the region is full of tragic episodes. Constant confusion led to a weakening of the country's defense capacity, which led to the fact that the power was seized by the Bukharian emir, which was defeated by Russian troops in the middle of the 19th century.

Russian and Soviet periods

Since 1855, the Ferghana region, previously under the rule of Turkestan, was enveloped in the fire of internecine wars. Khudoyar Khan, Bukhara governor in Kokand, was unable to retain power over the rising tribes and under the onslaught of the Russian offensive was forced in 1868 to accept the terms of the commercial treaty with the Russian empire. Now, Russian and Kokand residents were given the right to free movement, trade, for which they had to pay a tax of 2.5%. Khudoyar Khan remained governor of the territory. In 1875, the Kipchaks led by Abdurahamn-Avtobachi raised an uprising against Khudoyar's authority, which was joined by local clergy and opponents of Russian occupation. A new force of about 10 thousand people invaded the lands subordinated to the Russians, besieged the city of Khojent and settled in the fortress of Mahram.

August 22, 1875, General Kaufman with his army knocked out the rebels from the fortress and captured Kokand and Margelan. The lands were subordinated to the Russian emperor. However, as soon as the troops left, the excitement flared up again. General Skobelev, who headed the Namangan department, severely dealt with the rebels, and the entire territory of the Fergana region was annexed to the Russian state. Skobelev became the first governor of the Fergana region. After the revolution in Russia, Soviet power came to Uzbekistan. In 1924, an administrative reform was carried out, and the territory led by Kokand became part of the Uzbek Socialist Republic. In 1938 a new territorial unit was formed - the Fergana region. During the Soviet era, the region is actively populated by the Russian population, industrialization is underway, and infrastructure is being built.

Current state

After the collapse of the USSR, the Ferghana Oblast, whose regions were significantly strengthened economically, remained part of Uzbekistan, which declared its independence in 1991. In 1989-90 there were mass clashes with the Kyrgyz population, and migration began. Today the Fergana region returns to its primordial way of life. The industrial component gives way to agrarian traditions. The region, like the whole state, restores Muslim customs and way of life, although ties with Russia are not lost. During 25 years of independence, new cultural and economic ties are being established. The Fergana region today embodies the features of the traditional Uzbek region.

Climate

Fergana Valley is a unique place. Surrounded on all sides by mountains, it has special climatic conditions. It is not in vain called the pearl of Uzbekistan, as here almost all ideal conditions for human life are created. The Fergana region is characterized by a sharp continental climate, with a mild winter and a hot summer. Average winter temperatures are -3 degrees, summer temperatures are +28.

The only drawback of the local climate is strong winds, especially in the spring, which drain the soil, carry away the fertile layer, impoverishing the earth. The region is also characterized by a low amount of precipitation, but the needs of agriculture in the moisture are covered by irrigation with water resources. The Fergana region is characterized by a milder climate than in the neighboring regions of the valley. Here, the weather is stable enough, subject to sharp fluctuations. In the region favorable conditions have been created for the cultivation of many thermophilic crops, including cotton, rice, and tea.

Population

Fergana region (Uzbekistan) - the area is fairly densely populated. Almost a third of the population of the whole country lives here. Its density is 450 people per 1 km². The ethnic composition of the region is diverse. 82% of the inhabitants are Uzbeks. Other nationalities are represented by small groups: Tajiks - about 4%, Russians - 2.6%, Kazakhs - 1%.

The official language is Uzbek, although the residents of the region also speak Russian well, and young people learn English in their own way. The official religion, which 95% of the population professes, is Islam. The dynamics of population growth in the region is 1-2% per year. Gradually, the average life expectancy grows, which today has an exponent of 70 years. The average age of a resident of the Fergana region is 23 years. Today the population is increasingly concentrated in cities.

Economy

Today the Fergana region is mainly an agrarian region. Although the capital of the region is a large economic and industrial center. There are many large enterprises of chemical, food, light, oil refining industry. Here they manufacture spare parts, furniture, fertilizers, glass, cement and many other goods. Large contribution to the economy of the region is made by agricultural enterprises that grow cotton, rice, cattle, providing not only domestic needs, but also actively trading with other states. The development and stability of the economy is facilitated by the extraction of minerals: oil, sulfur, gas, limestone, which are an important object of export.

A ring railway runs through the territory of the region, connecting the major cities of the country and the region. The total length of the tracks is 200 km.

Administrative division and cities

The Fergana region is divided into 15 fogs - administrative districts. Each is governed by a leader who is appointed by the hakim. The large cities of the Fergana region (Uzbekistan): Fergana, Kokand, Margilan, Kuvasai - have the status of regional subordination. Most of the region's population is concentrated there.

Fergana

The main city in the Ferghana region is its capital. Already the translation of the name from Persian - "diverse" - says a lot about this place. Here live about 350 thousand people of different nationalities. The city counts its history from 1876, when the Russian governor of these lands, General Skobelev, founded a new capital. For some time the city even bore his name. Such a history of appearance was reflected in the external appearance of Ferghana. Initially, it was built up with European-style structures: the officers' meeting, the post office, the governor's residence, the headquarters, the theater, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - all this was the beginning of a special city, atypical for Central Asia. There was initially introduced a planned building with straight streets.

Fergana experiences the most rapid growth in the Soviet period, especially after World War II, when a large number of industrial enterprises are being built here, higher educational institutions are being opened.

Today Fergana is a very beautiful and green city. There are a lot of gardens and parks here. The main attractions of the city are the Officers 'House, the former Officers' House - the theater, the mosque of Zhome Masjid, the old fortress.

Kokand

Another major center is the city of Kokand (Fergana region). Its history begins in the 5-6th century. Here lived the ancient tribes. Since 1709 the city is the capital of powerful Kokand Khanate. The favorable location on the Silk Road ensured the development and wealth of Kokand, which constantly attracted invaders. The long history of the city is a series of wars and the change of rulers. Since the establishment of Soviet power, the city has become calm, and after declaring independence, Uzbekistan is returning to its national and cultural roots.

Today, the city has about 260 thousand people. Here are located the largest industrial enterprises of the chemical, manufacturing, food and machine-building industries. The tourist sphere is actively developing in the city: hotels are being built, museums are being opened, infrastructure is growing. The main sights of Kokand are the medrese of Norbutabi (late 18th century), the mosque of Jomi (1800) and the palace of Khudoyar Khan built in 1871.

Margilan

Another pearl of the region is the Fergana region, Margilan. This ancient city is called the capital of silk. Historians have found traces of the existence of human settlements in this place in the 4th-3rd centuries BC. The history of the city is associated with the production and trade of silk. Today, here is the largest silk factory in the country, and you can see most of the mulberry trees. About 220 thousand people live in the city. The main sights of Margilan are the memorial complex of Pir Siddiq (18th century), the madrassah of Said-Ahmad-Khoja (19th century) and the silk factory "Yedgorlik".