Zarafshan

Zarafshan ( Зарафшон ) ( usbek. )

Zarafshan (Cyrillic Зарафшон; Russian Зарафшан Sarafschan ) is a county -level city in Uzbekistan's Navoi province, located in the center of the Kyzyl Kum desert, 200 km northwest of Navoi to about 400 m above sea level. According to the population census 1989 Zarafshan then had 46,400 inhabitants, a calculation for 2009 are that there is the population of 68 365.

Discovery of the deposit and town foundation

In the near Zarafshan there are significant uranium and gold deposits. After the discovery of these deposits in 1965 Zarafshan was founded in 1967 and 1972 raised to town. The city's name is of Persian origin and means in Uzbek " golden shiny ".

Economy

The kidney- shaped open pit (41 ° 29 ' 45 "N, 64 ° 34' 36 " O41.49572222222264.576694444444 ) is located about 35 km east of the city, it extends in an east-west direction over 3 km; the north- south extent is about 1.6 km, and the depth of about 450 m. The annual production is almost double the yield of the Kolyma gold-field.

Furthermore, there are smelting and textile industry.

Infrastructure

Zarafshan has an airport, train terminal, located on the A379. In Zarafshan dominated the Soviet Prefab Architecture, the city receives water from a 250 km flowing Amu Darya.

Things to Do

Native to Zarafshan is the football club Qizilqum Zarafshan. Zarafshan has a Russian Orthodox church, a mosque and many leisure facilities. Of tourist interest is the Zarafshoner Desert Museum.