Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was 2.1 million but according to unofficial sources the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.

Tashkent started as an oasis on the Chirchik River, near the foothills of the West Tian Shan Mountains and during pre-Islamic and early Islamic times was known as "Chach". Due to the destruction of most of the ancient city during 1917 revolution and, later, to the 1966 earthquake, little remains of Tashkent's traditional architectural heritage. Tashkent is, however, rich in museums and Soviet-era monuments.

Today Tashkent is the most cosmopolitan city in Uzbekistan, with a large ethnic Russian minority. The city is noted for its tree lined streets, numerous fountains, and pleasant parks.