Zarafshon

Zarafshon
Zarafshon / Зарафшон
Zarafshan
Zarafshon
Location in Uzbekistan
Coordinates: 41°36′29″N 64°13′35″E / 41.60806°N 64.22639°E / 41.60806; 64.22639
Country Uzbekistan
RegionNavoiy Region
Area
 • Total
20 km2 (7.7 sq mi)
Elevation
400 m (1,300 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total
85,100
 • Density4,300/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+05:00 (UZT)
Postal code
706801

Zarafshon (Uzbek: Zarafshon / Зарафшон, Persian: زرافشان) is a city in the center of Uzbekistan's Navoiy Region. Administratively, it is a district-level city, that includes the urban-type settlement Muruntau. It has an area of 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi) and 85,100 inhabitants (2021).

Zarafshon is called "the gold capital of Uzbekistan". It is home of the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company's Central Mining Administration, charged with mining and processing gold from the nearby Muruntau open-pit mine. Between 1995 and 2006, the Muruntau gold mining and processing operation was run by the Zarafshan-Newmont Joint Venture, a foreign direct investment by Newmont Mining Corporation of Denver, Colorado.

Zarafshan Airport (IATA: AFS) is served by Uzbekistan Airlines with direct daily flights to and from Tashkent.

Zarafshon is the sister city of Clinton, Mississippi (USA).