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The different ethnic groups in Uzbekistan are the Uzbek, Russian, Tajik, Kazakh, Karakalpak, Tatar and other minorities. In spite of the presence of various ethnic groups, the population of Uzbekistan is relatively homogeneous.
The Uzbeks constitute 80 percent of the total population. Their population has increased in the recent years. Uzbeks are basically Turkish nomads who have settled in Uzbekistan in the beginning of the 15th century. The dominant religion of the Uzbeks is Islam.
Russians are an East Slavic ethnic group residing in Russia and the neighboring countries. They account for 6 percent of the total population and are the minority ethnic groups of Uzbekistan. Over the years the Russian population has decreased in Uzbekistan. Many Russians from Uzbekistan have emigrated to Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. A sudden dip in Russian population in Uzbekistan is also due to the low birth rates.
The Tajiks are Iranian speaking people originally from Tajikstan, Greater Iran, Afghanistan, China and Chitral. The Tajik people speak Persian language and generally belong to the Sunni Muslim sect.
The Kazakhs are descendants of nomadic Turkish tribe. They have typical mongoloid features. These people have a pastoral nomadic background. They account for only 3% of the total population.
The other minority ethnic groups of Uzbekistan like the Karakalpak make up for the rest of the population. A significant portion of the non Russian population has emigrated after the 1980s. The Meshkhetian Turks have almost vanished from Uzbekistan. Except a small community of Bukhara Jews, most of the Jews have left for Israel and the United States.
The ethnic groups in Uzbekistan with their individual culture and tradition have made Uzbekistan an interesting and a fascinating country.
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