The population of the city is about 500 thousand .
Samarkand is one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia. The city celebrated its 2500 years jubilee.3 cities of Central Asia - Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva -made the Golden Triangle of the East.
Samarkand was situated on the Great Silk Road, which gradually determined its economic and cultural development.The word Samarkand consists of 2 words: "samar"- fertile and "kand"- place, settlement. The city was really widely well known by its fruit gardens and beautiful green streets and squares. In economic plan Samarkand also had a great importance. Since old times they manufactured here different fabrics, high quality silk and cotton paper and other industrial goods.
Like other cities of the area Samarkand had known both the periods of a particular rise and periods of severe defeat. The particular period in the history of Samarkand comes in the 14th century when Timur comes to power. Samarkand becomes the capital of the great empire and gets the glory of one of the most beautiful cities of Central Asia.Most of the cultural monuments preserved up to now are dated back to the period of Timur and Timurids.
Samarkand was the cultural center of the ancient state. A lot of famous scientists and poets of the East lived and worked in Samarkand : Ulugbek, Alisher navoi, Rudaki.There are many ancient monuments here: Registan Square, Bibi Khanum Mosque , Gur Emir Mausoleum, Shakhi Zinda architectural complex.
Modern Samarkand is one of the industrial and cultural centers of Uzbekistan,where the big industrial enterprises are functioning ( textile, electronic, engineering, food industries). There are universities, institutes, theater of opera and ballet, palaces of culture and stadiums here.
