BOKHARA, bo-ka'ra, a khanate of cen tral Asia, practically vassal to Russia, bounded on the north by Russian Turkestan, west by Khiva and the Russian Trans-Caspian territory, south by Afghanistan and east by Russian Tur kestan. It formerly occupied considerably more territory than now, having been reduced by the conquests and encroachments of Russia, which have been only partially compensated by some additions. The present area of the khanate is estimated at about 92,000 square miles. The country is to a great extent occupied by deserts and low and naked ranges of mountains, and the cultivated portions of it are confined to the val ley of the rivers, especially the Oxus or Amoo Darla, which forms the. southern boundary for a considerable distance, and then flows from southeast to northwest parallel to and not far from the frontier of the country. Bokhara lies between lat. 37° and 41° N., and in greater part is no more than 1,100 or 1,200 feet above the level of the sea, but in the extreme east is mountainous., The climate is subject to great extremes, being warm in summer and very cold in winter. There is very little rain, on which account it is necessary to resort to artificial irri gation. Barley, rice, tobacco, wheat, cotton, flax and dye plants are raised in large quan tities. Silk is also produced. The pastoral in dustries are extensive. Manufactures are in a backward state and are confined mainly to cot ton and woolen textiles of a coarse nature. Leather goods and small metal articles are also produced. Gold, salt, iron and copper are mined. Bokhara occupies an important place in the commerce of central Asia. The trade is with India, Persia and Russia and is carried on by caravan and also Trans-Caspian Rail way. Sugar, tea, indigo and drugs are the principal articles imported while lamb skins, cotton, silk, fruits and other agricultural prod uce are exported. The government is an absolute monarchy, the Emir having autocratic powers, which are delegated to several officials, who each administer a separate department. The territory is divided into districts, each of which is administered by an official called a bek, who is under obligation to deliver a stated sum annually to the Emir's treasury. The sur plus tax collections are retained by the bek, who for private gain often imposes exorbitant taxes on the population of his district. There is an army, consisting of a regular force and a militia. It is mainly made up of volunteers. but in case of a holy war every able-bodied follower of Islam is liable to military service. The total population amounts to about 2,250,000 and consists of the Uzbecks, who are the ruling race, and to whom the Emir belongs; the Tajiks, who form the majority in the capital; the Kirghizes, less numerous than the Tajiks; about 60,000 Arabians, descendants of the sol diers who were brought into the country by the third Caliph of Bagdad on the occasion of the conquest of Turkestan; Persians who have chiefly been brought as slaves to Bolchara; Turcomans, Hindus and about 10,000 Jews who live in the towns beyond the protection of the law and accordingly oppressed by the other in habitants. Since the separation of Samarcand
there are now only two towns of importance in Bokhara, namely, the chief town, Bokhara, with a population of about 60,000; and Karshi,.with about 25,000. Besides these there are a few small towns and some hundred villages in the country. The capital, according to Vambery, the centre of Tartar civilization, is ill built and has a gloomy aspect, and in luxury of dress and mode of life is far behind the towns of western Asia. Among the people there reigns the utmost moral corruption along with a rigorous adherence to outward forms. The country is distinguished from the other countries of cen tral Asia by its numerous schools, and in the same proportion by the amount of culture dif fused among the people generally; but the women are even more degraded than in other Mohammedan countries. The rule of the Emir is absolute, though he is to some extent under the influence of the clergy. The manufactures are unimportant, but there is a very consider able caravan trade, cotton, rice, silk and indigo being exported, and woven goods, sugar, iron, etc., being imported. There is also now a trade by railway, since the making of the line from the Caspian to Samarcand. Bokhara is remark able for its religious fanaticism, and various European travelers have been exposed to dan ger. After Alexander Burnes had visited B.olchara on a commission from the govern ment of India in 1832, the British Ambassador in Teheran sent Colonel Stoddart in 1838 to obtain from the Emir Nasrulla the deliverance of the Russian prisoners that he had taken on his predatory incursions into Russian territory. Nasrulla, however, irritated at the neglect to answer his letter to the Queen of England, ordered Colonel Stoddart to be thrown into prison, and after treating him with great cruelty, compelled him to acknowledge the Mo hammedan creed. Captain Conolly, who had been with a similar object in Khiva and Kho kand, came in 1841 to Bokhara, and after hav ing to submit to the same treatment as Colonel Stoddart, was executed along with him in 1842. Information of their fate was brought to Europe by the missionary Wolff, who had been sent to Bokhara in 1843 for this purpose.