UzSSR

Uzbek SSR (UzSSR) was a USSR union republic 1924-1991. Capital: Samarkand (1925-30), then Tashkent. Area 447,400 km², 19.9M people in 1989 (3rd in USSR). Formed from Turkestan, Bukhara & Khorezm. Tajik ASSR split off in 1929, Karakalpak ASSR added in 1936. Made into USSR's cotton base — massive irrigation caused the Aral Sea disaster. Sovereignty 20 June 1990, independence 31 Aug 1991 as Uzbekistan.