Termez
Termez
Termiz / Термиз | |
|---|---|
 Sultan Saodat Ensemble | |
| Country |  Uzbekistan |
| Province | Surxondaryo Province |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 140,404 |
Termez (Uzbek: Termiz/Термиз; Russian: Термез; Persian: ترمذ Termez, Tirmiz; Arabic: ترمذ Tirmidh) is a small city in the southernmost part of Uzbekistan near the Hairatan border crossing of Afghanistan. It is the hottest point of Uzbekistan. It has a population of 140,404 (1 January 2005), and is the capital of Surxondaryo Province.
Etimology
The modern name of the city came through the Sogdian Language Tarmiδ dating back to an ancient Iranian language tara-maiθa , which means "a place of transition" (tara-crossing, crossing; maiθa-place). In ancient times there was an important crossing on the Amu Darya river.
Some link the name of the city to Greek thermos "hot", tracing its name back to Alexander the Great.[1] Others suggest that it came from Sanskrit taramato , meaning "on the river bank".[2]
History
In ancient times
Date of the founding of the city of Old Termez, located a few kilometers east of the modern city, is not known. In April 2002, there have been celebrating the 2,500th anniversary of the city of Termez.[2]
In VI century BC. e. Achaemenids already called the city ancient city. In 329 BC. e. Alexander the Great conquered the Termez. Later founder of Greco-Bactrian kingdom named Demetrius Demetris city. As part of the Kushan Empire (I to III century BC. E.) The city was called Ta-li-mi (in the Chinese Tu-mi, Tami. During this period, the city became an important center of Buddhism.
In V-VI centuries the city was ruled by Hephthalites, Sassanids.
In VII century the city was ruled by native Termez shah dynasty.
In 705 the city was captured by the Arabs and it became one of centers of Islam.
In IX-XII centuries Termez was a big city and a cultural center. It was popular for shopping and crafts. At this time the length of the fortifications of the city was 10 miles, there were nine gates. In IX-XII centuries Termez was a part of the Ghaznavids, Seljuk and Karakhanids. In 1206 the town became part of the state Khorezmshahs.
In 1220 after a two-day siege, the city was destroyed by the troops of Genghis Khan.
In the second half of the XIII century Termez was restored to the east, on the right bank of Surxondaryo River, was part of the Timurid empire, then Shaybanids. By the second half of the XVIII century the city was abandoned. The only inhabited villages were Salavat and Pattakesar (Pattagissar) in the vicinity of the ancient city.
In the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union
In January 1893 the emirate of Bukhara gave the land of the village Pattakesar to Russian government to build a Russian fortress and garrison and, a military border fortification, where the Amu Darya river port was built.
In 1928 already being part of the Soviet Union, Pattakesar was renamed and took the city's ancient name Termez. In 1929, the village became a town.
During the years of Soviet rule industrial enterprises were built and a Pedagogical Institute and a theater were opened.
During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979–89), Termez was an important military base, a military airfield and a road-rail bridge across the Amu Darya ("Bridge of Friendship") were built.
Independent {{Uzbekistan]]
In 1992 the Pedagogical Institute was upgraded to Termez State University.
The military airfield in Termez is used by the air forces of Germany for transiting goods to Afghanistan.
In July 2009 It was decided to establish a "Termez regional railway junction" which will be one of the main places in the planned transit of non-lethal NATO supplies to Afghanistan. Transit will be through Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan bypassing Turkmenistan through the paved highway in 2009 Tashguzar-Boysun-Kumkurgan. [3]
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 and Moscow. Termez is connected with Uzbek Railways to other cities of the countries and Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan.
Climate
Termez has an arid climate with extremely hot, long summers and short, cool winters.
| Climate data for Termez | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 23.8 (74.8) |
28.4 (83.1) |
34.4 (93.9) |
38.7 (101.7) |
43.6 (110.5) |
46.5 (115.7) |
47.0 (116.6) |
46.3 (115.3) |
41.5 (106.7) |
37.0 (98.6) |
32.4 (90.3) |
26.7 (80.1) |
47.0 (116.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.4 (50.7) |
13.3 (55.9) |
18.9 (66.0) |
26.6 (79.9) |
32.8 (91.0) |
38.0 (100.4) |
39.7 (103.5) |
38.0 (100.4) |
32.8 (91.0) |
25.8 (78.4) |
18.8 (65.8) |
12.1 (53.8) |
25.60 (78.08) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.2 (39.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
12.1 (53.8) |
18.9 (66.0) |
24.6 (76.3) |
29.1 (84.4) |
30.5 (86.9) |
28.4 (83.1) |
22.8 (73.0) |
16.5 (61.7) |
10.8 (51.4) |
5.6 (42.1) |
17.52 (63.54) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.3 (31.5) |
1.7 (35.1) |
6.5 (43.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
16.5 (61.7) |
19.9 (67.8) |
21.4 (70.5) |
19.2 (66.6) |
13.9 (57.0) |
8.6 (47.5) |
4.7 (40.5) |
1.0 (33.8) |
10.43 (50.77) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −19.7 (−3.5) |
−17.5 (0.5) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
−2 (28) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
11.4 (52.5) |
12.9 (55.2) |
9.3 (48.7) |
2.8 (37.0) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−11 (12) |
−18.4 (−1.1) |
−19.7 (−3.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 24 (0.9) |
24 (0.9) |
36 (1.4) |
23 (0.9) |
9 (0.4) |
2 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.1) |
3 (0.1) |
12 (0.5) |
21 (0.8) |
156 (6.1) |
| Average rainy days | 7 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 60 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 77 | 71 | 66 | 57 | 45 | 36 | 36 | 38 | 45 | 53 | 65 | 76 | 55 |
| Source: Погода и Климат [3] | |||||||||||||
Noble People of ancient Termez
- 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 one of the six canonical hadith collectors of Sunni Islam. He is locally known as Isa At Termezi.
- Hakim-at-Termizi, one of the famous Sufi theologians, is buried in old Termez which is in the suburbs of modern Termez. He is also known as Termez Ota (a patron saint of Termez).
- Said Baraka was from old Termez. He was a philosopher, war strategist and religious nobleman, and Amir Temur's teacher.
- Sayed Ali Shah Termezi S/o Sayyed Qambar known as " Pir Baba " was born in Termez, (1502-1583 CE), his mausoleum is in a village named Pir Baba after him in Buner District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Main historical sights
- Kyrk-Kyz Fortess (out-of-town Palace Country Estate) (9th - 14th century)
- Palace of Termez rulers (11th-12th century)
- Architectural Complex of Al Hakim At-Termizi (10th - 15th century)
- Architectural Ensemble Sultan Saodat (10th - 18th centuries)
- Kokildora Khanaka (16th century)
- Kara-Tepe Buddhist Monastery (2nd-4th century)
- Fayaz-Tepe Buddhist Monastery (1st-3rd century)
- Zurmala Tower (1st-2nd century AD)
- Isa At-Tirmidhi Mausoleum (9th c. AD), in the suburb of Sherobod, 60 kilometers north of Termez.
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
- ^ 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."
- ^ Sh. Kamaliddinov, Istoricheskaya geografiya Sogda i Toharistana.
- ^ КЛИМАТ ТЕРМЕЗА (in Russian)
External links
- Archaeological Museum Termez (Uzbek, Russian, English)
- Travel guide to Termez, history of Termez
- Termez Photos
- History of ancient Termez
- Uzbek Tourism
- Karvon Saroy travel to Uzbekistan
- Travel tips to visit Termez
- local information, guide and interpreter in Termez