The modern Sogd region of Tajikistan, the administrative center of which is the city of Khujand, until 1991 was called the Leninabad region of Tajikistan, its regional center was called Leninabad.
Geographical position
The position, in terms of political geography, which occupies the Leninabad region (Tajikistan), is assessed as favorable, despite the fact that the region has no access to the sea. Nevertheless, the development and prosperity of Khujand was facilitated by its geographical location. It is the only city that lies on the banks of the largest river in Central Asia - the Syr Darya - and was located at the intersection of the Great Silk Road. This contributed to the development of trade relations with developed countries of the East and West in the old days.
Leninabad region (Sughd) is surrounded by the Tien Shan and Gissar-Altai mountains. The Kuraminsky ridge and the Mogoltau mountains are located in the north, and the Turkestan ridge and the Zeravshan mountains in the south. It borders with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Between the Kuraminsky and Turkestan ranges there is a western region of the Ferghana Valley, on which the region is located.
Two rivers flow through its territory. The largest in Central Asia is the Syr Darya and Zeravshan, which originates from a mountain glacier bearing the same name. Both Zeravshan and its tributaries have good nutrition from melting glaciers, large reserves of hydropower. Used for irrigation of flat lands.
Khujand story
Khujand has been the center of civilization in Central Asia for thousands of years . The location of the city contributed to its rapid development and prosperity. The same age as ancient cities, such as Samarkand, Khiva, Bukhara, he made an important contribution to the development of this region of Central Asia.
The Great Silk Road passed through it. Khujand merchants, returning from distant lands, brought not only overseas goods, but also knowledge. The city flourished, the main occupation of the inhabitants of the surrounding settlements was agriculture and cattle breeding. Crafts developed in it. A special place was occupied by trade.
A rich eastern city, it was repeatedly attacked by invaders who dreamed of conquering and plundering it. But history has preserved evidence of the conquest of the region by the troops of Alexander the Great, who saved the city and contributed to its development. He received the new name Alexandria Eskhata (Extreme).
The invasion of the Mongol-Tatars completely wiped it off the face of the Earth. But the city was again restored. This was facilitated by its favorable location.
As part of the Russian Empire
Centuries passed, the city gradually stopped in development and began to play an insignificant, provincial role in the life of Central Asia. The leading position was occupied by Samarkand, Bukhara, Kokand. The population worked in agriculture, and only a small part traded in crafts, in particular weaving silk fabrics.
In 1866, the city of Khujand was conquered by the Russian army and incorporated into the Russian Empire. The construction of the railway breathed new life into it. It became the center of the intersection of roads connecting the Ferghana, Zeravshan valleys and the Tashkent oasis.
Railroad workers and engineers were sent to the city to build and maintain railway stations. Together with them came doctors, teachers. A school and a hospital were opened. Small artisanal enterprises appeared. This was facilitated by natural resources, in particular oil, non-ferrous metals.
As part of the USSR
Despite the significant development of the city, it remained the backward edge of the Russian Empire with small handicraft enterprises, mainly weaving. The Leninabad region reached its peak in the USSR. New enterprises began to be built, old ones were reconstructed. Qualified personnel came to the region: engineers, workers, doctors, teachers, scientists who studied natural resources. Schools, hospitals, professional educational institutions were opened, which trained new personnel, including from the local population.
The city of Khujand was renamed to Leninabad. It became the administrative center, the district included 8 cities with developed infrastructure and industry. Coal, oil, zinc, lead, tungsten, molybdenum, antimony and mercury were mined in the region. The largest mining and processing enterprises were built. A large silk fabric factory was erected in Leninabad.
More than a third of all industrial production of the republic was provided by the Leninabad region. The Tajik SSR in her person received the industrial and economic flagship.
Cities of Leninabad (Sogd) region
Thanks to the settlements located on its territory, the leading position in the economy of Tajikistan was occupied by the Leninabad region. The cities included in it had large industrial enterprises, some of which were unique.
In total, the region included 8 cities, including Leninabad. Many of them have an ancient history and played a significant role in previous years. Most cities made up the industrial backbone of the Leninabad region:
- Istaravshan (Ura-Tyube). It is located in the foothills of the Turkestan Range, 78 kilometers from the regional center. 63 thousand people live in it.
- The city of Isfara is located in the foothills of the Turkestan Range on the Isfara River. 43 thousand people live.
- Kairakum (Khojent). Located on the territory of the Karakum reservoir. 43 thousand people live.
- The city of Penjikent is located on the Zarafshan River, at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level. The population of 36.5 thousand people.
Khujand city
Leninabad, modern Khujand, one of the most beautiful cities in the Ferghana Valley. Framed by mountain spurs, bathed in sun, drowning in gardens and flowers, it is a real oasis. The Syr Darya and the Karakum reservoir make its climate mild, and the southern heat is easily tolerated. The mountains protect it from the hot desert winds in the summer and from the cold in the winter.
The city of Leninabad and the Leninabad region occupied one of the leading positions in the economy of the Tajik SSR, which contributed to their prosperity. The infrastructure of the city was developing. New residential areas, schools, hospitals, kindergartens, palaces of culture, sports facilities were built. A pedagogical institute, many technical schools and schools were opened in the city. To improve transport supply, trolleybus lines were laid.
Much attention was paid to architectural monuments, restoration work was carried out. In the vicinity of the city, archaeological excavations were carried out. The Museum of Local History and the Museum of Musical Comedy have been opened. The Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences of the Tajik SSR was laid.
Leninabad became the industrial center of Central Asia. A large number of large enterprises worked: a silk fabric factory, a drainage plant, a cotton ginner, a glass container, an electrical factory, a dairy and canneries, and much more.
City Taboshar
In the region there is a small cozy town Taboshar. Leninabad Oblast (Tajikistan) has several such towns and villages that possessed important strategic importance for the USSR. Near Taboshar there are rich deposits of polymetallic ores, containing mainly zinc and lead; along the way, silver, gold, copper, bismuth and a number of other metals were extracted from them.
Nearby is the tailing dump - the burial of ore processing waste. Here, more than 20 years uranium has been mined, which was processed in neighboring Chkalovsk. Since 1968, the Zvezda Vostok plant has been operating in the city, where parts and engines for strategic missiles were manufactured. Now they are mothballed, since with the collapse of the USSR, most residents moved to Russia and other countries. Deported citizens from Western Ukraine, the Baltic states and Volga Germans lived in the city .
The town today has only 13.5 thousand inhabitants, most of which are unemployed. Once it was a crowded, cozy and beautiful town with blackberry bushes, flowers in the front gardens, and in the spring the city was buried in a haze of flowering apricots, above which butterflies and dragonflies circled.
City Chkalovsk
Built in 1946, the Leninabad Mining and Chemical Combine gave birth to the city under the name Chkalovsk. Leninabad region received another city in its composition. Today, about 21 thousand people live here. After the collapse of the USSR, about 80% of its former residents left the settlement.
The plant gave rise not only to the city, but also to the first nuclear reactor and the first Soviet atomic bomb, the filling of which was enriched uranium obtained at the plant. Raw materials came from all deposits of Central Asia and the Ferghana Valley, of which there were many.
A cozy village was built on the site of the city, in which builders and workers of the plant lived. With its development, the village grew, which was given the status of a city in 1956. In Chkalovsk there were the best schools, kindergartens, clinics, cinemas and even two theaters.
Drowning in greenery and flowers, with developed infrastructure - this is the city that was remembered by its residents who left it. The state of the present Buston, such a name he got in our time, leaves much to be desired. Once powerful enterprises do not work, there is not always water in the houses, they often turn off the electricity, which forces the remaining residents to leave their place of residence.
Districts of the Leninabad region
The geographical location of the Leninabad region, the Syr Darya and Zarafshan rivers, and the Karakum reservoir created favorable conditions for farming. Throughout the region there are gardens and fields where a large number of vegetables are grown. Even in Soviet times, plants for processing fruits and vegetables were built here. There are 14 agricultural areas in the region. Below is a list of districts and the number of residents (thousands of people):
- Aininsky - 76.9;
- Asht - 151.6;
- Bobo-Gafurovsky - 347.4;
- Devashtich - 154.3;
- Gorno-Matchinsky– 22.8;
- Jabbar-Rasulovsky - 125.0;
- Zafarabad - 67.4;
- Istaravshansky - 185.6;
- Isfara - 204.5;
- Kanibadamsky - 146.3;
- Matchinsky - 113.4;
- Panjakent - 231.2;
- Spitamensky - 128.7;
- Shakhristansky - 38.5.
The leading position in the processing of livestock products in the republic was occupied by the Leninabad region, the regions of which were engaged in the production of milk, meat - this is the main orientation of livestock. In the foothills are engaged in breeding goats and sheep. Much attention is paid to breeding cotton.
Khojent district
Renaming was not spared and the largest, Khojent district. The Leninabad region became the Sughd region, the city of Leninabad is called Khujand, the Khojent district was called Bobo-Gafurovsky. Its administrative center is the village of Gafurov.
The district is located in the Ferghana Valley and is the most developed and largest agricultural region in the Leninabad (Sughd region). In the north, its border passes with the Tashkent region, in the south - with Kyrgyzstan. On the territory there is a large ginnery and small food enterprises.
The area adjoins the regional center, therefore it is focused on agricultural production. He supplies Khujand residents with vegetables and fruits, which are plentiful in the area, as well as milk and meat.