撒马尔罕（乌兹别克斯坦语：Samarqand Самарқанд; 波斯语：سمرقند‎; 俄语：Самарканд from 粟特语: "Stone Fort" or "Rock Town"; 蒙古语：Самарканд from "Nut Rock" or "Hard Rock"）是中亚地区的历史名城，也是伊斯兰学术中心，现在是乌兹别克斯坦的旧都兼第二大城市、撒马尔罕州的首府，有人口40万，现任总统伊斯拉木·卡里莫夫生于此城。Samar意为“肥沃”，qand意为“土地”，撒马尔罕意为“肥沃的土地”；耶律楚材说：“寻思干者西人云肥也，以地土肥饶故名之。”汉名为河中。

Samarkand (from Sogdian: "Stone Fort" or "Rock Town"; Uzbek:Samarqand; Persian:سمرقند‎‎; Cyrillic/Russian:Самарканд), alternatively Samarqand or Samarcand, is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Central Asia, prospering from its location on the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean. At times Samarkand has been one of the greatest cities of Central Asia; traditionally it is the capital of Samarqand Region, and is Uzbekistan's third largest city, after fast-growing Namangan in the Ferghana Valley. The city is noted for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study. In the 14th century it became the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane) and is the site of his mausoleum (the Gur-e Amir). The Bibi-Khanym Mosque (a modern replica) remains one of the city's most notable landmarks. The Registan was the ancient center of the city. The city has carefully preserved the traditions of ancient crafts: embroidery, gold embroidery, silk weaving, engraving on copper, ceramics, carving and painting on wood.