Uzbekistan’s geographic position and relief

Uzbekistan lies in the central part of Central Asia, mainly between the Amudarya and the Syrdarya. Its northernmost point is on the Ustyurt (45°36′ N), the southernmost near Termez (37°11′ N), the westernmost on the Ustyurt (56° E) and the easternmost in the Fergana Valley (73°10′ E). It is about 925 km from north to south and about 1400 km from west to east. Its area is about 448.9 thousand km², third in Central Asia after Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan borders Kazakhstan in the north and north-west, Kyrgyzstan in the east, Tajikistan in the south-east, Turkmenistan in the south-west and Afghanistan in the south. Although it lies at the same latitude as Spain, Italy and Greece in Southern Europe, its distance from the ocean and the mountains in the south give it a continental climate. It consists of 12 regions, the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Tashkent city; independence was declared on 31 August 1991 (1 September is Independence Day). Its population is now more than 37 million.