Samarkand, a city located in southeastern Uzbekistan, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. Although evidence of human activity has been found in the city’s vicinity since the late Paleolithic period, there is no direct evidence that Samarkand was established. Several theories suggest that it was founded sometime between the 8th and the 7th centuries BCE. Samarkand, located on the Silk Road between China (and Europe) at one time, was one of the most prosperous cities in Central Asia.

The majority of residents of this city speak Persian and the Tajik Persian dialect. This is the historic center of the Tajik people of Central Asia. It was once one of the most important cities in the great ancient empires of Iran.

Tashkent, known historically as Chach, is the capital and largest Uzbekistan city. It was also the most populous Central Asian city, with 2,694,400 inhabitants in 2021. It is located in northeastern Uzbekistan near the border with Kazakhstan.

With a population of 280.187 on 1 January 2020, Bukhara is Uzbekistan’s fifth-largest city. It is also the capital of the Bukhara Region.

The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five thousand years, with the city having existed for only half of that time. The city is located on the Silk Road and has been a hub of commerce, scholarship, culture, religion, and trade for centuries. Bukhara’s majority speak Tajik as their mother tongue. However, most people also talk to Uzbek as a second language. Bukhara was the capital of the Samanid Empire and Khanate of Bukhara. It also served as the Emirate of Bukhara.

Andijan is an Uzbekistan city. It is the administrative and economic center of the Andijan Region. Andijan, a district-level town with a total area of 74km2 (29 sq mi), will have 458,400 residents in 2022. Andijan can be found at the Fergana valley’s southeast edge, near Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan borders.

Qarshi is a city located in southern Uzbekistan. It is the capital city of the Qashqadaryo Region. Qarshi, administratively, is a district-level capital, which includes Qashqadaryo, an urban-type settlement. The population is estimated at 278,300 (estimated in 2021). It lies approximately 520km south-southwest of Tashkent and 335km north of Uzbekistan’s border with Afghanistan.