Service-Sector Development and Spatial Disparities in Modern Residential Neighborhoods: Evidence from Samarkand, Uzbekistan

This study examines the spatial distribution and development of service facilities in five residential areas of Samarkand, Uzbekistan—Sug‘diyona, Vokzal, Kimyogarlar, Qorasuv and Sattepo—using descriptive observations from 2021–2025. Population, housing and service-facility indicators are compared by area and service category. The results indicate uneven service provision alongside population growth. In 2025, Qorasuv had 40,374 residents but only two preschool institutions and four bus routes, while Vokzal had 43,430 residents, ten preschool institutions and sixteen bus routes. Market-oriented services, including retail and private healthcare, were more widely represented than some social and municipal services. The findings support differentiated spatial planning, service inventories and routine monitoring. The analysis is descriptive and does not estimate a statistical forecasting model; its implications concern prospective planning priorities rather than quantified future forecasts.