Uzbekistan

At a Glance

Uzbekistan is a Central Asian country of extraordinary architectural heritage, where the Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva preserve some of the most beautiful Islamic architecture in the world in tilework, domes, and mosaics of vivid colour. The culture is Uzbek and Tajik at its roots, with a tradition of hospitality, pilaf, and tea that shapes every social encounter. Those with an interest in the ancient world and the Islamic artistic tradition will find it one of the great destinations in Asia.

• Samarkand was the wealthiest city on the Silk Road for centuries.
• Soviet-era cotton farming diverted so much water that the Aral Sea — once the world's fourth-largest lake — has nearly vanished.
• One of the fastest-growing economies in Central Asia, largely under the radar.