Khorezm

Khorezm, also known as Khwarezm, is a historic region in Central Asia occupying parts of present-day Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan along the lower Amu Darya delta near the Aral Sea. In modern administrative terms, Khorezm Province (Xorazm Viloyati) is a western region of Uzbekistan with Urgench as its capital and Khiva as its historic metropolis. The area is characterized by a network of oases irrigated from the Amu Darya and by a long history as a cultural and commercial crossroads on the Silk Road.

Historically, Khwarezm gave its name to the Khwarezmian state and empire, centered on Gurganj (Urgench) and later extending into Khorasan. The Khwarezmian dynasty flourished in the 10th–12th centuries and contributed to science and culture; notable scholars such as Al-Biruni hailed from the region. The Mongol conquest of the early 13th century destroyed many cities, and Khwarezm was absorbed into successor polities such as the Chagatai Khanate and the Timurid and later Russian empires.

Language and heritage: The Khwarezmian language, an Eastern Iranian tongue, became extinct in the medieval period. In modern Uzbekistan, the former Khwarezm region preserves sites such as the walled city of Khiva (Itchan Kala), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and urban centers that continue to be important in regional trade and culture.