Uzbekistan

SAFETY: good
The country, and in particular the capital Tashkent and the cities of tourist interest such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Nukus, are subject to security controls and have so far presented no particular safety problems, either in terms of public order or of crime against travellers and tourists.

TRANSPORT: poor
The railway service may be subject to interruptions in the more remote regions; an excellent high-speed link operates between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. Fuel stations are not very common outside the capital Tashkent and, especially for a foreigner, can be hard to find. In the more outlying areas, vehicle repair centres are rare and poorly stocked with spare parts. Obtaining information can at times be quite difficult for those who do not know the local languages. These obstacles are, however, easily overcome by using a local driver.

Main airports: Tashkent; Bukhara; Navoiy; Samarkand; Termez; Andizhan; Urgench; Fergana; Karshi; Nukus; Namangan.

HOSPITALITY: fair
Tourism is an important component of the Uzbek economy and has good potential for further development; the country has some 4,000 sites of historical interest, linked above all to the Silk Road. The universally known destinations are the cities of Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva. Developing tourism and improving the related services are among the priority sectors of Uzbekistan's policy. The number of modern hotels is growing, the quality of service is improving and new tourist itineraries are being developed. Accommodation meeting Western standards is on the increase, and the domestic transport system is improving, although there is still considerable room for improvement. The tourism industry is managed by the state body Uzbekturism.

COUNTRY FACTS: Full name: Republic of Uzbekistan – Location: Central Asia. Borders: it borders Kazakhstan to the north-west and north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east and south-east, Afghanistan to the south and Turkmenistan to the south-west. The autonomous republic of Qoraqalpoghiston (Karakalpakstan) lies in the western part of the country.- Time zone: 4 hours ahead of Italy; 3 hours ahead when daylight saving time is in force in Italy. – Area: 447,400 km² - Capital: Tashkent – Population: 33,000,000 – Religion: Muslim (at least 90%), Orthodox Christian, Catholic and Protestant. – Languages: the official language is Uzbek; Russian is also very widely spoken. Tajik is in common use in the Samarkand and Bukhara areas. In these cities it is also possible to find guides with a good knowledge of English and Italian.- Measures: metric system.

CURRENCY: Som. You are strongly advised to keep your currency exchange receipts, to be shown to the customs authorities on request when leaving the country. Under local regulations, any money in excess of the amount declared on entering the country that is not properly documented is confiscated by the customs police and a fine is imposed. – Credit cards: Banks and the bureaux de change in the major hotels exchange money at official rates. Changing money on the black market is illegal. Credit cards are accepted only in the major hotels in the tourist centres (with a transaction surcharge) and in banks. Eurocheques and traveller's cheques are rarely accepted .-  Exchange: bring euros; exchange is easy. Tipping: appreciated, and even explicitly requested by guides, drivers, waiters and porters. Tips are essential to the smooth running of the tour.

ELECTRICITY: 220 volts with standard sockets. It is nevertheless advisable to bring an adapter.

DOCUMENTS: a passport with at least three months' remaining validity from the date of entry into the country is required. In any event, you are always advised to check in advance with the country's Embassy or Consulates in Italy and/or with your travel agent. – Driving: international driving permit, 1968 Vienna Convention model.

COMMUNICATIONS AND TELEPHONES: International dialling code: 00998 – GSM: coverage across the entire country. Local operators: Ucell, Beeline, MTS (MTC in Cyrillic), Perfectum Mobil. Foreigners can buy a SIM card at outlets authorised to serve foreigners. – Internet: Internet connections are available essentially throughout the country. Almost all accommodation has Wi-Fi. Free connection is also available in a number of venues and at Tashkent Airport. However, data speeds are very low and pages often load very slowly, if at all, at peak times. – Web domain: .uz – Emergency numbers: Police 102, Emergency medical service 103 (state), Emergency medical service 080 (private), Rescue Service 1050.

RULES, LAWS AND CONDUCT:
Legislation on drug use and/or dealing: The possession, use and dealing of drugs are criminal offences and are severely punished.
Legislation on sexual abuse or violence against minors
Abuse of minors is punishable by many years in prison. It should be remembered that those who commit offences against minors abroad (sexual abuse, exploitation, prostitution) are prosecuted on their return to Italy under the laws in force in our country.
Male homosexuality is a criminal offence in Uzbekistan, punishable by imprisonment. In the event of problems with the local police authorities (detention or arrest), you are advised to inform the Italian Embassy in the country for the necessary assistance.

HEALTH: The standard of local facilities, particularly state-run ones and those in rural areas, is still below the European average, but private facilities, which also employ foreign doctors, are on the increase. Tashkent also has a small “international polyclinic” where English is spoken. Most medicines are not of European origin and it is often very difficult to assess the characteristics and compatibility of those available. You are therefore advised to bring an adequate supply of the medicines needed to deal with any gastrointestinal complaints. No health phenomena or epidemics of particular note are currently reported. The Uzbek government also reports a fall in the incidence of certain infectious diseases (meningococcus, mumps and hepatitis A) and no recorded cases of other infections (plague, cholera, polio, diphtheria, neonatal tetanus, measles and rubella).

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:1 January, New Year's Day; 8 March, Women's Day; 21 March, "Navruz" (New Year according to the ancient solar calendar); 9 May, Day of Victory over Nazi-Fascism (also celebrated in Uzbekistan as the Day of Remembrance and Honour for those fallen in war); 1 September, Independence Day; Date varies according to the Muslim calendar, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, religious festival "Ro'zahayit"; Date varies according to the Muslim calendar, the first day of Eid al-Adha, religious festival "Qurbonhayit"; 1 October, Teachers' Day (festival of all teachers); 8 December, Constitution Day.

OPENING HOURS: Post offices: Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00 – Banks: Mon-Fri 09:30-17:30 – Shops: Mon-Sat 09:00-19:00

CLIMATE: Uzbekistan has an essentially continental climate, cold in winter (in January the temperature often drops below zero) and very hot in summer (in July it can exceed 40 degrees Celsius).

Monthly max/min temperatures (in °C)

Rainy days (at least 1 mm of rain)/monthly mm of rainfall

USEFUL ADDRESSES IN ITALY
Italian Embassy in Tashkent
ULITSA YUSUF XOS XODJIB 40, 100031 TASHKENT,
Tel.: 00998 71  2521119  - 2521120 – 2521121 – 2521123
Fax: 00998 71  1206606
Emergency mobile (active outside office hours): 00998 90 8081369 
Secretariat e-mail:  segreteria.tashkent@esteri.it
Consular Office e-mail consolare.tashkent@esteri.it
Website: ambtashkent.esteri.it/ambasciata_tashkent/it/