Capital: Tashkent
Time zone: GMT + 5
Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (3712 for Tashkent).
Outgoing Code: 00
Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 03
Tourist information: Uzbektourism, 13 Marylebone Lane, London W1 Tel: (020) 7935 1899 Fax: (020) 7935 9554
Passport information: Passports required by all and must be valid for 6 months prior to departure date. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure
Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of CIS countries and some of the former Eastern block countries. All visitors are advised to contact the relevant authority for a full list of regulations
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Risk exists near the Afghan border
Other Health Risks: Diphtheria is endemic. Rabies and Cholera are also health risks. Vaccinations for Hepatitis are also recommended
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption
Currency: The Som is now the official currency, which was introduced in 1994
Cash is the only real form of currency, US Dollars are the preferred foreign currency. Exchan ge: use banks and official bureau de change. NOTE: The import and export of local currency is prohibited
Credit cards and travellers cheques are not accepted
ATM availability: Unavailable
Cost of living: The limited variety of goods that are available are extremely inexpensive
Languages: Uzbek. Russian, Tajik, Kazakh and English are also spoken
Weather: Continental Climate. South is the warmest. Summer temperatures can be very hot. The most comfortable time to visit is during the spring or Autumn
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Round 2 pin continental plugs are standard
Post: Letters to Western Europe and the USA take between two weeks and two months
Transport: ROAD: A reasonable road network exists. BUS: Services connect the major towns and cities. TAXIS: Can be found in all major centres. Many licences are unlicensed which should be avoided. Travellers are advised to agree the fare in advance and not share with strangers. Use the old and new (since independence) street names when asking for directions. DOCUMENTATION: IDP will be required when car hire is introduced
Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers should exercise extreme
caution and make only necessary journeys to this country. If you intend to travel depite this advice you should be aware that due to recent bombings in Tashkent tourists are advised to exercise caution. Although the situation is returning to normal; there is still a possibility of further bombing. Keep valuables out of sight. There is terrorist activity and kidnappings in some areas of the country. Long distance travel by train should be avoided. Do not leave the compartment unattended and lock the door. It is not recommended to use local airlines as they are not always regularly maintained. Shorts are rarely worn and women should be prepared for unwelcome attention from the local male population if they wear them.