Syrdarya region of Uzbekistan: history, geography, cities

The Syrdarya region is a source of pride for every representative of the Uzbek people. This is a vivid example of what can change human perseverance and perseverance.

Syrdarya region, Uzbekistan: general information

According to the existing administrative and territorial structure, Uzbekistan is divided into twelve regions and one autonomous republic. The Syrdarya region is one of them. It is rather small in area. Here live only 770 thousand people (that is, no more than one Russian Saratov). The administrative center and the largest city of the region is Gulistan.

The Syrdarya region is located in the eastern part of the country, in the Syrdarya river basin . Most of it is occupied by the so-called Hungry Steppe - waterless and deserted desert area of 10 thousand square meters. Km. The very same area covers an area of 5100 square kilometers. At the same time, it borders on two other Central Asian states - Kazakhstan in the north and Tajikistan in the south.

Natural conditions within the region are not very favorable for human life. The climate is hot, sharply continental and arid. The average annual precipitation varies between 130 and 600 mm in the foothill areas. Summer dry winds and dust storms are common in the area. In summer, they often lead to damage to crops.

History of the region

It is no wonder, that here the lands were long considered absolutely unsuitable for conducting any agriculture. However, everything changed in the second half of the last century, when the USSR Secretary General Nikita Khrushchev took a course toward the total development of the Soviet virgin land. The history of this entire period in the life of the inhabitants of the region is the history of continuous labor exploits, generously described in poems, stories and pictures.

Before the agronomists, who undertook the courage to conquer the Uzbek steppe, there were two serious problems: too high a level of groundwater and too high content of salts in the soil. Therefore, the main task was the creation of a unique and well-designed irrigation system.

During the Soviet era a number of water management facilities were built in the region, which helped to solve these two problems. However, work on curbing virgin lands did not stop even in the years of Uzbekistan's independence. So, in 2008 the Syrdarya region began actively implementing technologies to improve the state of land, widely used in Germany and the United States. Thus, the region for fifty years from a barren desert has become a fairly powerful agricultural region.

Economy and cities of Syrdarya region

Do not think that the economy of this region is limited only to the agro-industrial complex. Light industry is developed in the region, as well as the production of construction materials. The Syrdarya GRES is functioning here, which gives a third of the country's total electricity. The small business is groping under the feet and small business.

In 2013, a special industrial zone "Jizzakh" was created in the region with special rules for foreign investors. So, the investor who has invested over 300 thousand dollars in its development is exempt from paying taxes for three, five or seven years (depending on the volume of investments). While the greatest interest in this territory is shown by Chinese companies. In the press, the "Djizak" zone has already been dubbed the "silicone valley" of Uzbekistan.

Agriculture is still the main sector of the economy of this region. The Syrdarya region continues to hold the leading position in the country for the production of wheat, melons and cotton. Famous melons, grown on local fields, are exported to 40 countries of the world! In the near future, the construction of a factory on which alcohol, jam, tomato juice and ketchup will be produced is planned in the region.

Within the region today there are eight cities:

• Gulistan.
• Syr Darya.
• Shirin.
• Nowruz.
• Bakht.
• Khavast.
• Yangier.
• Pakhtaabad.

Gulistan is the "capital" of the province

Gulistan is the administrative center and the largest city of the Syrdarya region, located on the Tashkent-Khavast railway line. Translated from the Persian language, the name of the city sounds very romantic - the "rose garden". Today, about 70 thousand people live here (one tenth of the region's inhabitants). The city was founded in the XIX century. Before the construction of the railway in this area, Gulistan was a small settlement with a mosque and a teahouse. In 1952 he received the status of a settlement, and in 1963 he became the center of the re-created Syrdarya region.

The economy of the city is represented by a house-building, oil extraction and repair plant. There is also a garment factory and a number of small food industries. There is a music and drama theater.

In general, Gulistan looks like a well-groomed and neat city. However, a tourist in it is unlikely to find anything interesting for himself. True, there is one interesting, if not unique, attraction - the local St. Nicholas Church. It looks quite ordinary in appearance, but it strikes the year of its construction - 1957th (in the era of the active struggle of the Soviet government with "opium for the people"). Such churches in the post-Soviet space are only a few.

City of Syrdarya

Syr Darya is the second largest city in the region, located ten kilometers from the river of the same name. He is very young by age: the Syr Darya was founded only in 1971. Today about 30 thousand people live in the city. Syr Darya is an important industrial center of the region. Light industry and agriculture are developed here. There are several chemical factories, developing fisheries (due to proximity to the river). Syr Darya is known for its strong athletes. Representatives of the city repeatedly achieved significant success at the national and international competitions in such sports as taekwondo, handball and track and field athletics.