Old woman in a bukhara, Uzbekistan.jpg

Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.

Uzbekistan functionally has a one crop economy and the government and richest families continue to oppress the farmers of this crop by selling them their supplies at high prices and paying for their cotton at low prices. This serves to keep the millions of farmers in this country as indentured servants who can never get out of debt. This situation is threatening to come to head at this time following a draught which has effectively cut off even the minimum income to survive, Unrest in the country is growing even if the crop is not.