[1] Samarkand Region was established on 15 January 1938,[2] and is divided into 14 administrative districts and two district-level cities.

[4][5] Other major towns include Bulungʻur, Juma, Ishtixon, Kattakurgan, Urgut, and Oqtosh.

The region's UNESCO World Heritage Site architectural monuments make Samarkand the largest center for international tourism in the country.

Samarkand Region also has significant natural resources, including construction materials such as marble, granite, limestone, carbonate, and chalk.

The region's major agricultural activities are cotton and cereal growing, winemaking and sericulture.