Uzbekistan plays the first World Cup match in its history Wednesday against Colombia at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The central Asian nation waited decades for this moment, and its arrival has many U.S. fans scratching their heads, pulling out maps and wondering where they will find Uzbekistan.
So, here is what to know:
Uzbekistan sits in the heart of Central Asia, north of Afghanistan and bordering Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. It is one of only two countries on Earth where you have to cross two borders to reach the ocean. About 37 million people live there, making it the most populous country in the region. The capital is Tashkent.
The official language is Uzbek, a Turkic language related to Turkish and written today in a Latin-based alphabet. Russian is still widely spoken there, a holdover from the decades Uzbekistan spent inside the Soviet Union. Tajik, a form of Persian, is common in the old cities of Samarkand and Bukhara.
Long before soccer, Uzbekistan was the crossroads of the Silk Road. Samarkand and Bukhara were among the most important trading cities in the world, where caravans moving between China and Europe met for centuries. The turquoise domes of Samarkand's Registan Square remain one of the most recognizable sights in Asia. The region was also the seat of Tamerlane, the 14th century conqueror who built a vast empire and made Samarkand its glittering capital.
So, here is what to know:
Uzbekistan sits in the heart of Central Asia, north of Afghanistan and bordering Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. It is one of only two countries on Earth where you have to cross two borders to reach the ocean. About 37 million people live there, making it the most populous country in the region. The capital is Tashkent.
The official language is Uzbek, a Turkic language related to Turkish and written today in a Latin-based alphabet. Russian is still widely spoken there, a holdover from the decades Uzbekistan spent inside the Soviet Union. Tajik, a form of Persian, is common in the old cities of Samarkand and Bukhara.
Long before soccer, Uzbekistan was the crossroads of the Silk Road. Samarkand and Bukhara were among the most important trading cities in the world, where caravans moving between China and Europe met for centuries. The turquoise domes of Samarkand's Registan Square remain one of the most recognizable sights in Asia. The region was also the seat of Tamerlane, the 14th century conqueror who built a vast empire and made Samarkand its glittering capital.
1 day ago
