Fergana region (Uzbekistan): districts, cities

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

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

Geography and Biology

The Republic of Uzbekistan is located in the center of Central Asia. Fergana region is located in the southern part of the Fergana Valley and is one of the 13 territorial-administrative districts of the country. Its area is 68 km². The region occupies a flat territory with a slight elevation above sea level to the southeast. The valley is represented by all types of landscape: it is surrounded 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 is collected in the Syrdarya River. An additional water reserve is provided by the Central Ferghana Reservoir.

Good location in fertilevalley makes the world of flora and fauna of the Fergana region extremely rich. A wide variety of plants grow here. Predominantly all the flora is of cultural origin, since the natural vegetation is saline meadows interspersed with oases. However, man has turned this land into a real paradise. The animal world is also very interesting. From 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

Fergana region began to be settled in the 1-2 century, when various Turkic tribes began to develop this territory. However, the oldest human settlements found by archaeologists date back to the 7th-5th centuries BC. On the territory of the region, stone tools and remains were found in the area of the Selengur site. In total, scientists counted 13 cultural layers on this earth. Since 1709, the Kokand Khanate was created on the site of the Fergana region. Shahrukh the Second 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 possessions and strengthened. The khanate was a very strong entity and held its power until 1842, when the lands were ceded to the Kyrgyz ruler. For power over such a fertile land, an intense struggle was constantly going on between the settled people of the Sarts and the nomadic Kipchaks. The heads of the country constantly succeeded each other. The history of the region is fulltragic episodes. Constant unrest led to a weakening of the country's defense capacity, which led to the fact that the power was seized by the Emir of Bukhara, who was defeated by Russian troops in the middle of the 19th century.

Russian and Soviet periods

Since 1855, the Fergana region, previously under the rule of Turkestan, was engulfed in the fire of internecine wars. Khudoyar Khan, the governor of Bukhara in Kokand, was unable to retain power over the rebelling tribes and, under the onslaught of the offensive of the Russian troops, was forced in 1868 to accept the terms of a trade agreement with the Russian Empire. Now the Russians and Kokandans received the right to free movement, trade, for which they had to pay a tax of 2.5%. Khudoyar Khan remained the governor of the territory. In 1875, the Kipchaks, led by Abdurahamn-Avtobachi, raised an uprising against the power of Khudoyar, which was joined by the local clergy and opponents of the Russian occupation. A new force of about 10 thousand people invaded the lands subject to the Russians, laid siege to the city of Khojent and entrenched themselves in the Mahram fortress.

On August 22, 1875, General Kaufman with his army drove the rebels out of the fortress and captured Kokand and Margelan. The lands were subordinated to the Russian emperor. However, as soon as the troops left, the unrest broke out again. General Skobelev, who headed the Namangan department, de alt harshly 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 powercame to Uzbekistan. In 1924, an administrative reform was carried out, and the territory, headed 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 was actively populated by the Russian population, industrialization was underway, and infrastructure was being built.

Current State

After the collapse of the USSR, the Fergana region, whose regions were significantly strengthened economically, remained part of Uzbekistan, which declared its independence in 1991. In 1989-90, mass clashes with the Kyrgyz population took place here, migration began. Today, the Fergana region is returning to its original way of life. The industrial component gives way to agrarian traditions. The region, like the rest of the state, is restoring Muslim customs and way of life, although ties with Russia are not lost. Over the 25 years of independence, new cultural and economic ties have been established. Fergana region today embodies the features of a 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 that it is called the pearl of Uzbekistan, since almost ideal conditions for human life are truly created here. Ferghana region has a sharply continental climate, with fairly mild winters and hot summers. Average winter temperatures are -3 degrees, summer - +28.

The only drawback of the local climate is strong winds, especially in the spring, which dry up the soil, carry away the fertile layer, impoverishing the land. The region is also distinguished by low rainfall, but the moisture needs of agriculture are covered by irrigation with water resources. The Fergana region has a milder climate than the neighboring regions along the valley. Here, the weather is quite stable, little subject to sharp fluctuations. Favorable conditions have developed in the region for growing many heat-loving crops, including cotton, rice, and tea.

Population

Fergana region (Uzbekistan) is a fairly densely populated area. Almost a third of the population of the entire 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 - approximately 4%, Russians - 2.6%, Kazakhs - 1%.

The official language is Uzbek, although the inhabitants of the region also speak Russian well, and young people study English without exception. The official religion, followed by 95% of the population, is Islam. The dynamics of population growth in the region is 1-2% per year. Gradually, the average life expectancy is increasing, which today has an indicator of 70 years. The average age of a resident of the Fergana region is 23 years. The population today is increasingly concentrated in cities.

Economy

Fergana region today is predominantly an agricultural region. Although the regional capital isa major economic and industrial center. Many large enterprises of the chemical, food, light, oil refining industries are located here. It produces spare parts, furniture, fertilizers, glass, cement and many other goods. Agricultural enterprises that grow cotton, rice, livestock make a great contribution to the region's economy, 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 export item.

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

Administrative divisions and cities

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

Fergana

The main city in the Fergana region is its capital. The very translation of the name from Persian - "diverse" - says a lot about this place. About 350 thousand people of different nationalities live here. The history of the city dates back to 1876, when the Russian governor of these lands, General Skobelev, founded a new capital. For some time the city even bore his name. This history of emergence was reflected in the externalappearance of Fergana. Initially, it was built up with buildings in the European style: Officers' Assembly, post office, governor's residence, headquarters, theater, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - all this became the beginning of a special city, atypical for Central Asia. Planned development with straight streets was originally introduced here.

Fergana experienced its most rapid growth during the Soviet era, especially after the Second World War, when a large number of industrial enterprises were built here, higher educational institutions were opened.

Today Ferghana is a very beautiful and green city. There are a lot of gardens and parks here. The main sights of the city are the House of Officers, the former House of Officers - theatre, the cathedral mosque Jome Masjid, the old fortress.

Kokand

Another major center is the city of Kokand (Fergana region). Its history begins in the 5th-6th century. Ancient tribes lived here. Since 1709, the city has been the capital of the powerful Kokand Khanate. Favorable location on the Silk Road ensured the development and we alth of Kokand, which constantly attracted invaders. The long history of the city is a series of wars and changes of rulers. Since the establishment of Soviet power, the city has been calm, and after the declaration of independence of Uzbekistan, it returns to its national and cultural roots.

Today, about 260 thousand people live in the city. Here are located the largest industrial enterprises of the chemical, processing,food and engineering industries. The tourism sector is actively developing in the city: hotels are being built, museums are opening, infrastructure is growing. The main sights of Kokand are the Norbutabi Madrassah (end of the 18th century), the Jomi Mosque (1800) and the palace of Khudoyar Khan built in 1871.

Margilan

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