Ferghana

Ferghana, a province of Russian Turkestan, in a valley at the head of the Jaxartes, and of importance at the present moment as bordering upon the region of the tributaries of the Oxus, in which Russia is extending her influence. It is in a range of the Thian-Shan mountains, and the only opening is at the west, where the river issues. The valley is an oval, 280 miles long by 140 miles wide, and contains over 28,000 square miles. It is on the road from Bokhara to Kashgar, and is very fertile in the south, and has fine mountain pastures. A new capital - Namanghan - has taken the place of the old one - Khokand.