Uzbekistan, republic in Central Asia, bordered on the west and north by Kazakhstan, on the east by Kyrgyzstan, on the south-east by Tajikistan, and on the south by Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. It was formerly the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Uzbekistan includes the Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic (Qoraqalpoghiston), which occupies about 37 per cent of Uzbekistan's territory. Uzbekistan's land area totals about 447,400 sq km (172,750 sq mi). Toshkent is the capital and chief industrial and cultural centre.