TASHKENT, a city of Asiatic Russia, and the capital of the Uzbek S.S.R., in 40 30' N., 69° 20' E., situated in a loess oasis, watered by the interlocking Chirchik and Keles tributaries of the Syr-Darya. Irrigation cultivation is very ancient in the oasis ; the town itself dates back at least to the seventh century A.D. In 582 the Turks of Transoxiana divided into two khanates, the western one having two headquarters, one at Urumchi and one north of Tashkent, and it is recorded that the Chinese in 659 claimed the territory of the western Turks, including Tashkent. It was captured in 1865 by the Russians and was made the ad ministrative centre of the former Government of Russian Turkes tan. The Russians then built a new town nearly 8 m. long and 4 m. broad, considerably to the north-east of Eski-tashkent (old Tashkent), which is now practically deserted.
The houses are low because of frequent earthquakes, and are almost hidden by the poplar, willow and fruit trees which sur round them and line the broad streets. Its population in 1933 was 491,000. It has cotton-cleaning factories, makhorka-tobacco fac tories, a leather, machinery and cellulose industry, and saw mills; there is a municipal electricity, water and tram service. Much fruit and agricultural produce are grown in the oasis. The population is mixed, Russians, Sarts and Uzbeks predominating. Under the new regime efforts have been made to raise the status of women and a woman's co-operative store now exists in the town with a membership of about 600 Uzbek and Tatar women. The town has a good library, a museum which includes a collec tion of Graeco-Bactrian coins, and a Teachers' training college.