Bukhara is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, with a population of 247,644 as of 31 August 2016, and the capital of Bukhara Region.
People have inhabited the region around Bukhara for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long served as a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. The mother tongue of the majority of people of Bukhara is Tajik, a dialect of the Persian language, although Uzbek is spoken as a second language by most residents. Bukhara served as the capital of the Samanid Empire, Khanate of Bukhara, and Emirate of Bukhara and was the birthplace of Imam Bukhari. The city has been known as "Noble Bukhara". Bukhara has about 140 architectural monuments. UNESCO has listed the historic center of Bukhara as a World Heritage Site.