viloyati

Viloyati is a term in Uzbek that designates a province or region. It is the genitive or possessive form attached to a place name to indicate the province with which that place is associated, and it is commonly used in official names. For example, Toshkent viloyati refers to the Tashkent Region.

Etymology and usage: Viloyat itself derives from historic terms meaning an administrative division or province, a root found in several Turkic and Persian-influenced languages. The suffix -i (viloyati) marks possession or relation, producing phrases that mean “the province of” or simply “the province” in a naming context. The form viloyati is widely used in toponyms and legal names across Uzbekistan.

Administrative role: In Uzbekistan, viloyat denotes one of the primary subnational units of governance and planning. The country is divided into several viloyats, plus the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and a number of cities with special status. Each viloyat has its own local government and administrative center, and the term appears in the official names of these regions.

Examples: Common examples include Toshkent viloyati (Tashkent Region), Xorazm viloyati (Khorezm Region), Samarqand viloyati (Samarkand Region), and Namangan viloyati (Namangan Region). These names illustrate how viloyati functions as a formal designation for a region in Uzbek administrative usage.

See also: Viloyat as a general term for province or region; similar concepts exist in related languages under different spellings, such as vilayet or wilayah in other Turkic and Near Eastern languages.