Most of Uzbekistan's economy is indirectly controlled by the government. Although many farms and small businesses are privately owned, the government controls much of the supply of raw materials and transportation. The government also regulates much of the marketing of goods, particularly exports. Cotton is the chief agricultural product. Wool from the karakul, a breed of sheep raised in Uzbekistan, is highly prized for coats.
Mining operations produce coal, copper, gold, natural gas, and petroleum.
Uzbekistan's important manufactured products include agricultural machinery, chemicals, food products, and textiles. Farmworkers in Uzbekistan An airport in Tashkent handles international flights. Studios in that city broadcast radio and television programs in both Uzbek and Russian. The country publishes newspapers and magazines in several languages. People have lived in what is now Uzbekistan for thousands of years.