Uzbekistan, in brief.

Things most people don’t know.

Uzbekistan lies in the heart of Central Asia, home to more than 37 million people and to cities far older than its borders.

• 2

  The world has only two doubly landlocked countries: Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein. Reaching the sea means crossing at least two borders.

• 1977

  Tashkent opened the first metro in Central Asia. Its stations are decorated with marble, chandeliers and ceramic panels.

• 2016

  UNESCO recognised the culture of plov, the rice dish cooked for weddings and festivals, as intangible cultural heritage.

• Algorithm

  The word comes from al-Khwarizmi, a 9th-century mathematician from Khorezm, the region around Khiva. Algebra comes from the title of his book.

• 980

  Ibn Sina, known in Europe as Avicenna, was born near Bukhara. His Canon of Medicine was taught in European universities for centuries.

• Choy

  Choy means tea. Green tea is poured for guests before anything else, and a half-filled cup is a courtesy: your host wants to keep refilling it.

A short history.

For more than two thousand years, the oasis cities of this land have stood on the routes between China, Persia, India and the Mediterranean.

1. Antiquity

   Oasis cities

   Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva grew up around rivers and oases. Alexander the Great took Samarkand, then called Maracanda, in 329 BC.

2. 8th century

   The Silk Road

   Caravans carried silk, spices, glass and ideas through these cities. Samarkand became the first city in the Islamic world to make paper.

3. 9th to 11th centuries

   A golden age of learning

   Scholars such as al-Khwarizmi, al-Biruni and Ibn Sina came from this region, and Bukhara was one of the great centres of learning in the Islamic world.

4. 1220

   The Mongols

   Genghis Khan’s armies sacked Bukhara and Samarkand. Legend says the Kalyan Minaret in Bukhara was one of the few buildings spared.

5. 14th and 15th centuries

   Amir Timur and his heirs

   Timur made Samarkand his capital and brought in craftsmen from across his empire. His grandson Ulugh Beg built an observatory whose star catalogue was among the most accurate of its time.

6. 16th to 19th centuries

   Khanates and empires

   The region divided into rival states centred on Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand. Babur, born in Andijan, went south and founded the Mughal Empire in India. In the 1860s and 1870s the Russian Empire took control.

7. 1924

   The Soviet era

   Uzbekistan became a Soviet republic. Over the following decades cotton fields spread, the Aral Sea began to shrink, and Tashkent was rebuilt after the 1966 earthquake.

8. 1991

   Independence

   Uzbekistan declared independence on 31 August 1991 and celebrates it every 1 September. In recent years it has opened its doors to visitors, with visa-free entry for dozens of countries.

Visas and arrival.

For many travellers, getting in is now simple. Rules do change, so check the official sources below before you book.

• Visa-free for about 90 countries

  Citizens of the UK, the European Union, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and many other countries can stay up to 30 days without a visa. United States citizens joined the list on 1 January 2026.

• E-visa for other passports

  If your country is not on the visa-free list, you can usually apply online through the official e-visa portal. Leave plenty of time before you fly.

• Passport validity

  Your passport should be valid for at least three months after the day you arrive.

• Registration within three days

  Every visitor must be registered at their address within three days of arrival. Hotels and guesthouses do this for you; if you stay with friends, they can register you online.

• Customs declaration

  Declare cash over US$10,000 and any prescription medicines when you arrive, and keep your copy of the declaration until you leave.

Is Uzbekistan safe?

Most visitors are surprised by how relaxed it feels, and most trips are trouble-free. A few local rules matter more than crime.

• A low risk rating

  In 2026 the US State Department placed Uzbekistan at its lowest advisory level: exercise normal precautions.

• Tourist police

  Dedicated tourist police work in the main historic cities, including Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. In an emergency, call 102 for police and 103 for an ambulance.

• Check your medicines

  Some common medicines, including those containing codeine, are restricted. Carry your prescriptions, declare prescription medicines on arrival and check the official lists before you pack.

• Leave the drone at home

  Bringing in or flying a drone needs permits arranged in advance. Without them, you risk fines and confiscation.

• Everyday care

  Watch your bag in busy bazaars and on public transport, and agree a taxi fare first or book through a ride-hailing app.

• Dress and summer heat

  Uzbekistan is a secular country with a Muslim majority; cover shoulders and knees at mosques and shrines. In July and August temperatures can pass 40°C, so sightsee early and late.