URA-TYUBE

also spelled Ura-tiube, or Ura-t'ube, city, Khudzhand oblast (province), Tajikistan, in the northern foothills of the Turkistan Range. One of the most ancient cities of the republic, it may date from the 6th century AD, but it has borne its present name only since the 17th century. Famous in the past for its handicrafts, particularly carving, glazed pottery, embroidery, and gold and silver ornaments, it now has an economy based on fruit processing and wine making, though some crafts survive. In the centre of the city is the 16th-century tiled Kok-Gumbez Mosque. Pop. (1991 est.) 47,700.