The Qizilqum Desert in Uzbekistan eats up at least 80% of the nation and citizens inhabit the remaining 20% of the land. Population density is so high it is still classified as the most populous in Central Asia. Northeast and southeast of the country are all mountain ranges with the Fergana Valley as the most fertile region, and on it sits various cities and industries.
The majority of the population is of ethnic Uzbeks and of Turkic descent are deeply rooted in the Sunni Muslim faith. The rural areas are home to most of the population, where cotton crops grow making Uzbekistan one of the world's top five producers.
Even as topnotch producer of cotton, Uzbekistan's economic growth and living standards are among the lowest of the countries of the former USSR. Even the presence of the largest open-pit gold mine in Muruntau in the Qizilqum Desert (geologist claim as the Earth's largest gold deposit) may not be enough to raise the economic barometer of the country.
However some quarters claim that Uzbekistan's economic woes comes from a smoldering government control, since being authoritarian it imposes rigid economic and severe laws to counter the threat posed by Islamic groups.
Out of this malady, the
National Flag of Uzbekistan flew proud as it was officially approved at the Seventh Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan on November 18, 1991. Blue in the flag represents the Turkic influence of the Uzbek people, white symbolizes holy peace, green is allied with the nature of Islam, and the red stripes represents the power of life.
The inclusion of the crescent has historical and religious undertones; the 12 stars represent spiritual and divine symbols, particularly the development of Islamic astronomy and scientific thoughts.
by:
The Flagman
