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Bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, Afghanistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the west, the Republic of Uzbekistan is Central Asia's most populous country. At the juncture of important ancient trade routes, Central Asia was exposed to ideologies and spiritual movements from Indian and Persian cultures. Major cities along the Silk Road included Samarqand, Bukhara, and Khiva, all of which are located in modern Uzbekistan. Alexander the Great conquered the region in the fourth century B.C.E. Later in the sixth century C.E. Turkic nomads arrived....
