Editing Tashkent (section)

===Capital of Uzbekistan===
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan, noted for its tree-lined streets, fountains and parks. In 2009, the local government initiated a controversial tree-cutting campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://enews.fergananews.com/article.php?id=2590 |title=Good bye the Tashkent Public Garden! |publisher=Ferghana.Ru |date=23 November 2009 |access-date=30 September 2012 |archive-date=11 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611092449/http://enews.fergananews.com/article.php?id=2590 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, Tashkent.jpg|left|thumb|Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre]]
Since 1991, the city has changed economically, culturally, and architecturally. New development has superseded or replaced icons of the Soviet era. The largest statue ever erected for Lenin was replaced with a globe, featuring a geographic map of Uzbekistan. Buildings from the Soviet era have been replaced with new modern buildings. The "Downtown Tashkent" district includes the 22-story [[National Bank of Uzbekistan|NBU Bank]] building, international hotels, the International Business Center, and the Plaza Building.

[[File:Tashkent Japanese Gardens, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.jpg|thumb|Japanese Gardens in Tashkent]]
The Tashkent Business district is a special district, established for the development of small, medium and large businesses in Uzbekistan. In 2018, construction began on a new Downtown which would include a business district with skyscrapers of local and foreign companies, world hotels such as [[Hilton Hotels & Resorts|Hilton Tashkent Hotel]], apartments, malls, shops and other entertainment. The construction of the International Business Center is planned to be completed by the end of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tcibc.uz/about.html?tab=aim |title=Tashkent city |access-date=4 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221165249/http://www.tcibc.uz/about.html?tab=aim |archive-date=21 December 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Fitch assigns “BB−” rating to Tashkent city, “Stable” forecast.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fitch присвоило городу Ташкенту рейтинг "BB-", прогноз "Стабильный" |trans-title=Fitch assigned the city of Tashkent a "BB-" rating with a "Stable" outlook. |url=https://www.fitchratings.com/research/ru/international-public-finance/fitch-prisvoilo-gorodu-tashkentu-rejting-bb-prognoz-stabil-nyj-17-06-2019 |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=www.fitchratings.com |language=uk}}</ref>

In 2007, Tashkent was named a "cultural capital of the Islamic world" by ''[[Moscow News]]'', as the city has numerous historic mosques and significant Islamic sites, including the Islamic University.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mnweekly.ru/world/20070524/55252222.html |title=Moscow News – World – Tashkent Touts Islamic University |publisher=Mnweekly.ru |date=21 June 2007 |access-date=6 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415014911/http://mnweekly.ru/world/20070524/55252222.html |archive-date=15 April 2008}}</ref> Tashkent holds the [[Samarkand Kufic Quran]], one of the earliest written copies of the [[Quran]], which has been located in the city since 1924.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4581684.stm |title=Tashkent's hidden Islamic relic |publisher=BBC |date=5 January 2006 |access-date=16 April 2011}}</ref>

Tashkent is the most visited city in the country,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brussels-express.eu/uzbekistan-doubles-the-number-of-tourists-in-2018/ |title=Uzbekistan doubles the number of tourists in 2018 |publisher=Brussels Express |date=23 November 2018 |access-date=30 October 2019}}</ref> and has greatly benefited from increasing [[tourism]] as a result of reforms under president [[Shavkat Mirziyoyev]] and opening up by abolishing visas for visitors from the [[European Union]] and other developing countries or making visas easier for foreigners.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/central-asia/news/uzbekistan-announces-ambition-to-become-a-major-tourist-destination/ |title=Uzbekistan announces ambition to become major tourist destination |publisher=Euractiv |date=19 November 2018 |access-date=30 October 2019}}</ref>