Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country in Central Asia with large swaths of deserts. It borders five countries including Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Tajikistan to the southeast, Afghanistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest. Tashkent is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan located in the northeast near the border with Kazakhstan. Other major cities include Samarqand, Fergana, and Namangan.