Khorazm Region

Xorazm Viloyati
Xorazm viloyati
Khorezm Region
Ayaz Kala
Khorazm in Uzbekistan
Khorazm in Uzbekistan
Coordinates: 41°20′N 61°0′E / 41.333°N 61.000°E / 41.333; 61.000
CountryUzbekistan
Established1938
CapitalUrgench
Government
 • HokimJo'rabek Raximov
Area
 • Total6,050 km2 (2,340 sq mi)
Elevation
98 m (322 ft)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total1 958 200
Time zoneUTC+5 (East)
Area code+998
ISO 3166 codeUZ-XO
Districts11
Cities3
Towns56
Villages550
Websitewww.xorazm.uz

Khorazm Region, also known as the Khorezm or Xorazm Region, (Uzbek: Xorazm viloyati, Хоразм вилояти, خوارزم ولایتی) is a viloyat (region) of Uzbekistan located in the northwest of the country in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River. It borders with Turkmenistan, Karakalpakstan, and the Bukhara Region. It covers an area of 6,050 square kilometres (2,340 sq mi).[1] The population is estimated at 1,959,300 (2023), with 67% living in rural areas.[2] The capital is Urgench (pop. est. 147 300). Other major towns include Xonqa, Khiva, Shovot, and Pitnak.

View of the central market area of Urgench from the fifth floor of the Hamkor Bank building. In the background the blue and white building of the "Gipermarket", the largest shopping centre in the town.

The climate is a typically arid continental climate, with cold winters and extremely hot, dry summers.

The city of Khiva in Khorezm Region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with world-famous architectural monuments, making Khiva one of the main centers for international tourism in the country.

Khiva

The economy of Khorezm Region is primarily based on cotton. Cotton is by far the main crop, although rice production has increased significantly in the last several years. (though the Uzbek government discourages rice production near to deserts, over water usage concerns) There are also many orchards and vineyards, melon and gourd plantations and potato fields. Khorezm Region is famous for its "gurvak" melon in Uzbekistan. Industry is also heavily oriented to cotton, with cotton refining, cottonseed oil extraction and textiles predominating. Khorezm is a place where many famous scholars were born, such as Abu Rayhan Biruni and al-Khwārizmī. The region has a well-developed transportation infrastructure, with over 130 km of railways and 2000 km of surfaced roads. The region is connected by rail to European Russia and the Caucasus. People in Khorezm speak in Khorezmian, which is an Oghuz dialect of Turkic Languages that is different from Karluk (in which most of other Uzbek regions' people speak)

Administrative divisions

[edit]
Districts of Khorazm Region before 2020.

The Region consists of 11 districts (listed below) and two district-level cities: Urgench and Khiva.[1][3]

Key District name District capital
1 Bogʻot District Bogʻot
2 Gurlan District Gurlan
3 Xonqa District Xonqa
4 Tuproqqal'a District Pitnak
5 Khiva District Khiva
6 Qoʻshkoʻpir District Qoʻshkoʻpir
7 Shovot District Shovot
8 Urganch District Qorovul
9 Yangiariq District Yangiariq
10 Yangibozor District Yangibozor
11 Hazorasp District Hazorasp

There are 3 cities (Urgench, Khiva, Pitnak) and 56 urban-type settlements in the Khorazm Region.[1][3] In March 2020 the new Tuproqqalʼa District was created out of the larger, eastern part of Hazorasp District.[4] Gurlen is one of the most unique districts in the region.

The most interesting place in Khorezm is Aqdarband village. Ancestors of the people of Aqdarband came from Iran in 15th age to protect Khiva.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Oʻzbekiston Respublikasining maʼmuriy-hududiy boʻlinishi" [Administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Uzbekistan] (in Uzbek). The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on statistics. July 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Viloyat bo'yicha shahar va qishloq aholisi soni" [Urban and rural population in the region] (PDF) (in Uzbek). Xorazm regional department of statistics.
  3. ^ a b "Classification system of territorial units of the Republic of Uzbekistan" (in Uzbek and Russian). The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on statistics. July 2020.
  4. ^ Decree 23 March 2020, 184-IV, LexUZ.