Capital of Uzbekistan and of Tashkent wiloyat (region), located in the western foothills of the Tien Shan mountain range and in the valley of the River Chirchiq. With a population (1999) of 2,142,700, it is the largest city in Central Asia. It is an important transit centre for the region; there is an international airport terminal here. The Tashkent region is the major industrial centre of Uzbekistan, and industries include the manufacture of mining and textile machinery, chemicals, textiles, food processing, and leather goods. The city is also a major educational and cultural centre, home to the University of Tashkent (1920), the Uzbek Academy of Sciences (1943), and a number of museums and theatres, including the Navoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Tashkent suffered severe damage in an earthquake in 1966, but was rapidly rebuilt.