Andijan

For the village in Iran, see Andijan, Iran.

Andijan Andijon/Андижон
City
A mosque in Andijan
Andijan Location in Uzbekistan
Coordinates:
Country	Uzbekistan
Region	Andijan Region
First mention	10th century
Area
• Total	74,3 km2 (287 sq mi)
Elevation	450 m (1,480 ft)
Population (2000)
• Total	333,400
• Density	450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UZT (UTC+5)
• Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+5)
Postal code	170100
Area code(s)	+998 74

Andijan (sometimes spelled Andizhan in English) (Uzbek: Andijon/Андижон; Persian: اندیجان‎‎; Russian: Андижан) is a city in Uzbekistan. It is the administrative, economic, and cultural center of Andijan Region. Andijan is located in the south-eastern edge of the Fergana Valley near Uzbekistan's border with Kyrgyzstan.

Andijan is one of the oldest cities in the Fergana Valley. In some parts of the city, archeologists have found items dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries. Historically, Andijan was an important city on the Silk Road. The city is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Babur who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty in the Indian Subcontinent and became the first Mughal emperor.

Andijan is an important industrial city in the country. Manufactured goods produced in the city include chemicals, domestic appliances, electronics, foodstuffs, furniture, plows, pumps, shoes, spare parts for farming machines, various engineering tools, and wheelchairs.

History

Toponymy

The origin of the name of the city is uncertain. Arab geographers of the 10th century referred to Andijan as "Andukan," "Andugan," or "Andigan." The traditional explanation links the name of the city to the Turkic tribal names Andi and Adoq/Azoq.

Early and recent history

Andijan is one of the oldest cities in the Fergana Valley. In some parts of the city, archeologists have found items dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries. Historically, Andijan was an important city on the Silk Road.

The city is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Babur who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty in the Indian Subcontinent and became the first Mughal emperor. During the reign of the Timurids, especially Babur, Andijan was a large and important city in the region. During that period, art and culture flourished in the city.

After the formation of the Khanate of Kokand in the 18th century, the capital was moved from Andijan to Kokand. In mid-19th century, the Russian Empire began occupying the area of present-day Central Asia. In 1876, the Russians conquered the of Khanate of Kokand and the city of Andijan along with it.

Andijan was the center and flashpoint of the Andijan Uprising of 1898 in which the followers of Sufi leader Madali Ishan attacked the Russian barracks in the city, killing 22 and injuring 16-20 more. In retaliation, 18 of the participants were hanged and 360 exiled.

On 16 December 1902, much of the city was leveled by a severe earthquake which destroyed up to 30,000 homes in the region and killed as many as 4,500 residents. After Soviet rule was established in Andijan in 1917, the city quickly became an important industrial city in the Uzbek SSR.

Modern history

During the Soviet demarcation of Central Asia, Andijan was separated from its historical hinterland as the Ferghana Valley was divided among three separate Soviet republics. Andijan itself became part of the Uzbek SSR.

File:Andijan on Independence Day.jpg

Andijan on Independence Day

During World War II, many Soviet citizens were evacuated to Andijan and the surrounding towns. Of the Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Poland and banished by the Soviets to Siberia and Central Asia, some relocated to Andijan starting in 1941.

In the 1990s, Andijan and the surrounding region became politically unstable. Poverty and an upsurge in Islamic fundamentalism produced tensions in the region. The town, and the region as a whole, suffered a severe economic decline following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Repeated border closures badly damaged the local economy, worsening the already widespread poverty of Andijan's inhabitants.

May 2005 massacre

Main article: Andijan massacre

On 13 May 2005, Uzbekistan's military opened fire on a mass of people who were protesting against poor living conditions and corrupt government. The estimates of those killed on 13 May range from 187, the official count of the government, to several hundred. A defector from the SNB alleged that 1,500 were killed. The bodies of many of those who died were allegedly hidden in mass graves following the massacre.

The Uzbek government at first stated that the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan organized the unrest and that the protesters were members of Hizb ut-Tahrir. Critics have argued that the radical Islamist label has been just a pretext for maintaining a repressive regime in the country.

Whether troops fired indiscriminately to prevent a color revolution or acted legitimately to quell a prison break is also disputed. Another theory is that the dispute was really an inter-clan struggle for state power. The Uzbek government eventually acknowledged that poor economic conditions in the region and popular resentment played a role in the uprising.

Geography

Andijan is located 450 metres (1,480 ft) above sea level in the south-eastern edge of the Fergana Valley near Uzbekistan's border with Kyrgyzstan. By road it is 22 kilometres (14 mi) northeast of Asaka and 68.6 kilometres (42.6 mi) southeast of Namangan. Andijonsoy flows along the city.

Climate

Andijan has a cool semi-desert climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with cold winters and hot summers, rendering a very continental nature, although winters are a little milder than the normal isotherm. Rainfall is generally light and erratic. Summers are particularly dry.

Climate data for Andijan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	3.2 (37.8)	6.3 (43.3)	14.6 (58.3)	23.2 (73.8)	28.7 (83.7)	33.8 (92.8)	34.7 (94.5)	32.6 (90.7)	28.5 (83.3)	21.3 (70.3)	13.0 (55.4)	5.6 (42.1)	20.46 (68.83)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−1.9 (28.6)	0.9 (33.6)	8.4 (47.1)	16.4 (61.5)	21.7 (71.1)	26.2 (79.2)	27.2 (81)	24.7 (76.5)	19.6 (67.3)	12.8 (55)	6.0 (42.8)	0.7 (33.3)	13.56 (56.42)
Average low °C (°F)	−5.8 (21.6)	−3.3 (26.1)	3.3 (37.9)	10.2 (50.4)	14.8 (58.6)	18.3 (64.9)	19.5 (67.1)	17.1 (62.8)	11.9 (53.4)	6.3 (43.3)	0.9 (33.6)	−2.8 (27)	7.53 (45.56)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	26 (1.02)	33 (1.3)	37 (1.46)	28 (1.1)	21 (0.83)	8 (0.31)	6 (0.24)	2 (0.08)	4 (0.16)	26 (1.02)	22 (0.87)	25 (0.98)	238 (9.37)
Average relative humidity (%)	84	81	72	62	54	46	50	57	60	68	77	86	66.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours	87.7	100.6	151.7	206.3	277.2	334.3	357.7	339.3	289.7	216.6	139.6	77.4	2,578.1
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)

Demographics

In 2000, Andijan had a population of 333,400. Representatives of many ethnic groups can be found in the city. Uzbeks are the largest ethnic group.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1897	57,000	—
1939	105,000	+84.2%
1959	161,000	+53.3%
1970	188,000	+16.8%
1985	275,000	+46.3%
2000	333,400	+21.2%
Source:

Economy

Andijan has been an important craft and trade center in the Fergana Valley since the 15th century. After annexation by the Russians in 1876, the economy of the city started to grow significantly. Several industrial plants were built in Andijan after the city was connected with Russia with a railway line in 1889. Several hospitals, pharmacies, banks, and printing houses were established in the city during that period. After Soviet rule was established in late December 1917, both light and heavy industries developed significantly. Andijan became the first city in Uzbekistan to be fully supplied with natural gas.

Andijan remains an important industrial city in independent Uzbekistan. There are 48 large industrial plants and about 3,000 small and medium enterprises in the city. Manufactured goods produced in the city include chemicals, domestic appliances, electronics, foodstuffs, furniture, plows, pumps, shoes, spare parts for farming machines, various engineering tools, and wheelchairs. Andijan is also home to over 50 international companies, five of which produce spare parts for GM Uzbekistan.

Education

There are four higher education institutions in Andijan City. The Andijan Medical Institute is the largest of the four. The city is also home to four colleges, one academic lyceum, 21 vocational schools, 47 secondary schools, three music and art schools, nine sports schools, and 86 kindergartens.

Notable people

• Babur (1483–1530) — an emperor and founder of the Mughal dynasty in India

• Nodira (1792–1842) — a poet and stateswoman

• Choʻlpon (1897–1938) — an influential poet, playwright, novelist, and literary translator

• Abbos Bakirov (1910–1974) — a film actor and director, People's Artist of Uzbekistan (1939)

• Halima Nosirova (1913–2003) — an influential opera singer, People's Artist of Uzbekistan (1937)

• Mukarram Turgʻunboyeva (1913–1978) — dancer, People's Artist of Uzbekistan (1937); generally regarded as the founder of modern Uzbek stage dance

• Fotima Boruxova (1916–2009) — opera singer, People's Artist of Uzbekistan (1950)

• Shahodat Rahimova (1919–1979) — singer and actress, People's Artist of Uzbekistan (1940)

• Muhammad Yusuf (1954–2001) — poet and a member of the Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan, People's Poet of Uzbekistan (1998)

• Robert Ilatov (born 1971) — Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Yisrael Beiteinu.
• Ruslan Chagaev (born 1978) — WBA heavyweight boxing champion

External links

• The official website of the Andijan Region Administration (English) (Russian) (Uzbek)
• Information about the city of Andijan on the official website of the Andijan Region Administration (English) (Russian) (Uzbek)