The formation and development of economic and social geography as a science in Uzbekistan was directly linked to the Department of “Economic and Social Geography” of the Faculty of Geography and Geographic Information Systems of the National University of Uzbekistan. Initially, this department was established in 1940 under the name “Economic Geography,” the only one in Central Asia. Later, it was called “Economic and Social Geography” (1978). Since 1998, this department has been operating under the name “Social Geography and Regional Economy.” Later, its name changed several times, but today it is also called “Economic and Social Geography.”
The first head of the department was Candidate of Geographical Sciences, docent V.G. Kuznetsov. Then the department was headed by M.G. Kadek (1941-1945), Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor V.M. Chetyrkin (1944-1948), Candidate of Geographical Sciences, docent R.S. Lobach (1948-1954), Candidate of Geographical Sciences, docent Sapenko (1954-1959). Later, from 1960 to 1969, this task was performed by the candidate of geographical sciences, docent N.G. Smirnov. Doctor of Geographical Sciences, professor Z.M. Akramov was the first Uzbek scientist to head this department. From 1969 to 1984, he served as the head of the department, from 1984 to 2010, the department was headed by a well-known scientist, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, professor A.S. Soliev. From 2019 to the present day, the department is headed by Doctor of Geographical Sciences, professor Z.N. Tojieva.
The contributions of scientists such as G.N. Cherdantsev, A.N. Rakitnikov, O.B. Ota-Mirzaev, A.A. Kayumov, T.I. Raimov, R.A. Khodiev, T.E. Egamberdiev, T.T. Tojimov, S.S. Saidkarimov, S.B. Boqiev, M.R. Burieva, and A.M. Sodiqov have been significant in enhancing the scientific and pedagogical potential of the department and developing educational and methodological work.
If we pay attention to the history of the department, it becomes clear that scientific research is being conducted in the most important and relevant areas of economic and social geography: economic zoning, industry, agriculture, population geography, problems of urban development and urbanization, and various fields of social (social) geography in general. Since the 1998-1999 academic year, the department has been studying with great interest theoretical and practical issues related to the direction of regional economy, which was first put forward by Professor A.S. Soliev among CIS countries.
In recent years, based on standards corresponding to global development, traditional scientific directions have emerged in Uzbekistan. For example, medical, educational, and other services for the population, political geography and geopolitics, social geography, tourism and recreation, medical and disease geography (nosogeography), and criminal geography are developing. In all of them, the direct contribution of the national scientific school of economic geography and the scientists associated with it, formed during the years of independence on the basis of the Department of “Economic and Social Geography” of the National University of Uzbekistan, was great. It should be noted that two senior scientists, Ziyovutdin Mukhitdinovich Akramov and Abdusami Solievich Soliev, were the leaders in the formation and effective development of this scientific school.
The scientific school of economic and social geography in our republic has two main directions. One of these areas is agrogeography (agricultural geography), and the other is population geography. In particular, regional problems of urban development and urbanization processes are being studied in this direction.
The aforementioned important scientific directions were directly related to the harmonious and fruitful scientific-creative and pedagogical-pedagogical activities of two outstanding scientists and great people, professor Akramov Ziyovutdin Mukhitdinovich and professor Soliev Abdusami Solievich, who are the pillars of modern homeland geography. That is why this informal scientific association can be called the “Akramov-Soliev Scientific School.”
The Uzbek Scientific School of Economic Geography soon gained attention not only in the republic, but also in neighboring republics and other foreign countries. In particular, in this regard, in particular, candidates and doctors of science raised in this scientific school, its international relations were highly evaluated by professors of Moscow State University Y.G. Saushkin, A.I. Kovalev, professor of Perm State University M.D. Sharigin, professor of Saint Petersburg State University A.I. Chistobaev, professors of the National University of Kazakhstan S.R. Erdavletov and Sh.M. Nadirov.
The main goal of the members of the department – is to continue the traditions of the Scientific School of Economic and Social Geography of Uzbekistan, formed by Professors Z.M. Akramov and A.S. Soliev, to maintain a healthy educational and scientific environment in the team and to make a worthy contribution by training highly qualified competitive personnel loyal to the idea of national independence, which is consistently implemented in our country under the leadership of President Sh.M. Mirziyoyev.
Currently, the department, as the main center of geography in Uzbekistan, maintains scientific relations with all regional higher educational institutions, as well as with geographic educational institutions and research institutes of countries such as Moscow, Rostov-on-Don (ARGO, Russia), Russian Peoples’ Friendship University (RUDN), Duisburg Essen University of Germany, Karlova University of the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan (KazNU), Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, and others.
The specification for training personnel – the Department of Economic and Social Geography participates in the training of bachelors and masters within the faculty. The department specializes in the training of bachelor and master geographers.