Territorial organization and the Tashkent economic region

The Tashkent economic region consists of Tashkent city and Tashkent region; Fergana and Mirzachul regions lie beside it, and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are on its outer side. Its favourable position and the fact that the capital lies here greatly affected its growth. The relief is varied: the Chirchiq and Ohangaron valleys slope towards the Syr Darya, so they are good for irrigation, while the mountains receive much precipitation that feeds the rivers. The Charvak reservoir was built on the Chirchiq, and the Ohangaron and Tuyabuguz reservoirs on the Ohangaron; the Chirchiq–Bozsu hydropower cascade produces electricity. Mineral resources are varied: the Angren coal basin is the largest in the country, and there are copper, lead-zinc, gold and building raw materials, but almost no oil or gas, which are brought in. About one sixth of the country’s people live in the region, the share of working-age people is large, and universities and research institutes are many. Industry has many branches and most of it is heavy industry; power generation, non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy, machine building, chemicals, building materials, and light and food industries are developed. In transport, roads (the Great Uzbek Highway, the Tashkent–Angren–Kokand road), railways and the international airport matter most.