Termez

Termez
Termiz / Термиз
Sultan Saodat Ensemble
Termez
Location in Uzbekistan
Coordinates:
Country  Uzbekistan
Province Surxondaryo Province
Population (2005)
 • Total 140,404

Termez (Uzbek: Termiz/Термиз; Russian: Термез; Persian: ترمذ Termez, Tirmiz) is a city in southern Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan.

Some link the name of the city to thermos, "hot" in Greek, tracing its name back to Alexander the Great.[1] Others suggest that it came from Sanskrit taramato, meaning "on the river bank".[2] It is the hottest point of Uzbekistan. It has a population of 140,404 (1 January 2005), and is the capital of Surxondaryo Province.

Its most famous native son is Al-Tirmidhi, born in its suburb Bugh and buried 60 kilometers north of Termez, on the outskirts of Sherobod. He is locally known as Iso At Termezi or Termez Ota (Father of Termez City). Hakim-e-Termizi, one of the famous Sufi leaders, is buried in the suburbs of Termez. He is also known as Termez Ota (Father of Termez City). It was once a great center of Buddhism and Islam.

Contents

Transportation

The river Amu Darya divides the two countries of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan and the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge crosses the river to Hairatan in Afghanistan. Termez is also served by Termez Airport, with flights to Tashkent.

History

An ancient settlement was discovered near Termez, which was populated in the times of the Greco-Bactrian rule (3rd - 2nd centuries BC). It was the center of Buddhism at the period of the Kushans (1st-2nd c. AD). With the arrival of the Arabs, in the 7th-8th century, the city became a center of Islam. Said Baraka was from old Termiz. He was a philosopher, war strategist and religious nobleman, and Amir Temur’s teacher. During Amir Temur's time Termez continued to prosper, but it was destroyed at the end of the 17th century.

In 1897 the modern city emerged, with a Russian fortress and garrison. Termez was a primary transit point during the Soviet invasion (1979–89) of Afghanistan.

Climate

Termez has an arid climate with extremely hot, long summers and short, cold and bitter winters.

Climate data for Termez
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 8
(46)
12
(54)
18
(64)
25
(77)
32
(90)
37
(99)
40
(104)
38
(100)
32
(90)
25
(77)
18
(64)
11
(52)
24.7
(76.4)
Average low °C (°F) −1
(30)
1
(34)
5
(41)
11
(52)
16
(61)
18
(64)
21
(70)
18
(64)
12
(54)
7
(45)
3
(37)
0
(32)
9.3
(48.7)
Precipitation mm (inches) 5.1
(0.201)
22.9
(0.902)
22.9
(0.902)
17.8
(0.701)
5.1
(0.201)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
5.1
(0.201)
10.1
(0.398)
33.1
(1.303)
122.1
(4.807)
humidity 70 70 62 60 43 35 36 40 44 54 63 70 53.9
Avg. rainy days 1 4 5 4 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 6 26
Source: Weatherbase [3]

Main sights

Wars

For many years after the Second World War the 108th Motor Rifle Division, the former 360th Rifle Division, was based in the town.

During the war in Afghanistan (1979–89) over 100,000 Soviet troops were based in Termez. The airbase is currently the main support base for German and Dutch forces operating with the ISAF in Afghanistan.

See also

References

  1. ^ E. M. Pospelov, Geograficheskie nazvaniya mira (Moscow, 1998), p. 415: "here in fact is found the hottest place in Central Asia (in June 1914 a temperature of 49.5 C was recorded in Termez."
  2. ^ Sh. Kamaliddinov, Istoricheskaya geografiya Sogda i Toharistana.
  3. ^ http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=72983&refer=&units=us&cityname=Termez-Uzbekistan

External links