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Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to
the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist
republic set up in 1925. During the Soviet era, intensive production of
"white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals
and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and
the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the
country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while
developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include
insurgency by Islamic militants based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, a
non-convertible currency, and the curtailment of human rights and
democratisation. |
