On 31 August 1991, the President of the Uzbek ssr islam Abduganiyevich Karimov declared Uzbekistan independent from the ussr

The land that is today Uzbekistan once held great importance for being a Central Asian country. Previously known as the “heart” of the ancient Silk Road Trade, the country connected China with the Middle East and Rome.
Uzbekistan spent almost 200 years as part of the Russian Empire and then under the rule of the Soviet Union, before emerging as an independent state when Soviet rule dissolved in 1991.
Uzbekistan gained independence, after the August Coup in the Soviet capital of Moscow – a failed coup attempt that changed the history and the path of Russia. It happened when in August 1991 a group of communist hardliners attempted to scupper a treaty that would loosen ties between member states of the USSR. As a result, many Soviet republics including Uzbekistan declared their independence from the Soviet Union.
On 31 August 1991, the President of the Uzbek SSR Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov declared Uzbekistan independent from the USSR, followed by the Supreme Soviet of Uzbekistan adopting a resolution on the declaration of independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the signing of the law by Islam Karimov on the state independence of Uzbekistan. On gaining independence, the Uzbek SSR was renamed to the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Although Uzbekistan gained independence on August 31, 1991 – the leaders of the country chose September 1 as a national holiday to celebrate Uzbekistan’s independence.
The day of 1st September in Uzbekistan dawns with a patriotic spirit running high in the whole nation. Every Uzbek celebrates the birthday of their beloved independent republic of Uzbekistan with great patriotic zeal and enthusiasm. There are celebrations in all the 12 regions of Uzbekistan, with colorful fireworks, feasts, music shows, and cultural dance events being held in parks and public squares.
The biggest of these celebrations take place in the capital city Tashkent, with the Independence Square and A.Navoi National Park being the top hot locations. With performances by hundreds of musical groups and famous stars, grand independence day parades by the military, and royals of the country in attendance – the majestic grandeur of independence day festivities in Tashkent just takes one’s breath away.
And of course, what a holiday is without family gatherings, parties, and feasts? Plov, the national dish of the country, made with rice, mutton, and grated carrot is a traditional dish cooked in a majority of the households and enjoyed by the whole family or a group of close friends on one table. Other famous treats of the day include sweets, sour milk balls, shashlyk, and Samsa meat pastries.
On the governmental level, there are speeches by the state heads focused on bringing unity within the nation and discussing ways on how to develop Uzbekistan to a level of excellence. Flag raising and wreath-laying ceremonies are also a part of Independence Day celebrations.