Uzbekistan is ex-Soviet Central Asia's political powerhouse, and the region's most populous country.
Capital: Tashkent
Population: 24 million
Leader: President Islam Karimov
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Mr Karimov justifies press censorship and a crackdown on opposition as part of his drive to stop Islamic fundamentalism infiltrating the nation.
Human rights groups accuse him of allowing security services to arbitrarily arrest, torture and kill opponents.
Uzbekistan's police state hampers its considerable potential as a tourist destination. Ancient Silk Route towns like Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand - capital of Mongol leader Tamerlane's 14th century empire - are still stunning.