The U23 Vietnam team will compete for the championship with U23 Uzbekistan in the final of the AFC U23 Championship on January 27. Here are 10 things we should know about this formidable rival’s country.
1. Uzbekistan is landlocked and is even surrounded by landlocked countries including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Much of the land in the Central Asian country is a sandy desert with huge sand dunes. However, there are also several river valleys near Zarafshon, Sirdaryo and Amu Darya. Uzbekistan has a desert climate with very little rainfall. Summer is very hot and winter is very cold.
2. Uzbekistan used to be one of the five Central Asian countries that belonged to the former Soviet Union. The country declared its separation from the Soviet Union in 1991. Uzbekistan has a population of 26 million. Russians and Tajiks make up 10%, 3% are Kazhiks and Uzbeks make up the majority with about 80%.
Uzbekistan is a landlocked country.
3. Uzbekistan is rich in natural resources. Uzbek reserves of gold, uranium, copper, silver, zinc, tungsten, rare metals, gas, coal and minerals are among the top in the world. The Central Asian country’s Muruntan gold mine is one of the largest in the world. However, it is one of the poorest countries in the world. GDP of this country in 2016 was 67.22 billion USD, ranking 74th in the world, 26th in Asia and 2nd in Central Asia after Kazakhstan. The country’s GDP is still lower than Apple’s revenue. In the fourth quarter of 2016 alone, Apple’s revenue reached a record .4 billion.
4. In Uzbekistan, a handshake is only acceptable if it is a handshake between two men.
5. The way to greet an Uzbek woman is to bow and place your right hand over your heart.
6. According to Uzbek tradition, the most respected guest will sit farthest from the front door.
7. Uzbeks believe that turning the bread upside down will bring bad luck. According to the long tradition of the people of this Central Asian country, before going far, each Uzbek must take a bite of Uzbek bread for good luck. The remaining bread will be buried or hidden until the person returns.
Uzbeks believe that turning the bread upside down will bring bad luck.
8. An important US military base once located in Uzbekistan and the Central Asian country is an important “link” in the global fight against terrorism.
9. Due to the influence of Russia, although it is a majority Muslim country, Vodka is a popular drink here.
Uzbekistan is known as the “melon capital of the world”.
10. Uzbekistan is the land of melons and is known as “the melon capital of the world”. There are up to 150 different varieties of melons here. Uzbeks have so many melons that they can’t eat them all in the summer, so they dry them and make jams to eat in the winter.