Country Guide

Uzbekistan Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan


Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 64 00 E


Map references:
Asia


Area:
total:447,400 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 57
land:425,400 sq km
water:22,000 sq km


Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California


Land boundaries:
total:6,221 km
border countries:Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km


Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline


Maritime claims:
lowest point:Sariqamish Kuli -12 m
highest point:Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m


Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum


    Land use:
arable land:9.61%
permanent crops:0.8%
other:89.58% (2011)


Irrigated land:
41,980 sq km (2005)


Total renewable water resources:
48.87 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
48.87 cu km (2011)

Natural hazards:
NA


Environment - current issues:
shrinkage of the Aral Sea has resulted in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification and respiratory health problems; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT


Environment - international agreements:
party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements


Geography - note:
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

People and Society

Nationality:
noun: Uzbekistani
adjective:Uzbekistani


Ethnic groups:
Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)


Languages:
Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%


Religions:
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%


Population:
28,929,716 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 45


Age structure:
0-14 years:24.9% (male 3,693,838/female 3,514,734)
15-24 years:20.5% (male 3,008,779/female 2,934,534)
25-54 years:43% (male 6,178,921/female 6,255,715)
55-64 years:6.8% (male 926,129/female 1,036,576)
65 years and over:4.7% (male 588,881/female 791,609) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:48.3 %
youth dependency ratio:42 %
elderly dependency ratio:6.3 %
potential support ratio:15.8 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:27.1 years
male:26.6 years
female:27.7 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
0.93% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 125


Birth rate:
17.02 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 109


Death rate:
5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 180


Net migration rate:
-2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 173


Urbanization:
urban population:36.2% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:1.27% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
TASHKENT (capital) 2.227 million (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.75 male(s)/female
total population:0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Mother's mean age at first birth:
23.8 (2006 est.)


Maternal mortality rate:
28 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


Infant mortality rate:
total:19.84 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 91
male:23.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female:15.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


    Life expectancy at birth:
total population:73.29 yearscountry comparison to the world: 125
male:70.25 years
female:76.52 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
1.8 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 154


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
64.9% (2006)


Health expenditures:
5.4% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
2.54 physicians/1,000 population (2010)


Hospital bed density:
4.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 98.5% of population
rural: 80.9% of population
total: 87.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.5% of population
rural: 19.1% of population
total: 12.7% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 150


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
29,700 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 72


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,400 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 56


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
15.1% (2008)country comparison to the world: 119


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
4.4% (2006)country comparison to the world: 97


Education expenditures:
NA

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:99.4%
male:99.6%
female:99.2% (2011 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:12 years
male:12 years
female:11 years (2011)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form:Uzbekistan
local long form:O'zbekiston Respublikasi
local short form:O'zbekiston
former:Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic


Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule with little power outside the executive branch


Capital:
name:Tashkent (Toshkent)
geographic coordinates:41 19 N, 69 15 E
time difference:UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)


Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Tashkent province], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)


Independence:
1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)


National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)


Constitution:
several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992; amended several times, last in 2012 (2012)


Legal system:
civil law system


International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
chief of state:President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet; first elected president of independent Uzbekistan in 1991)
head of government:Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 11 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam AZIMOV (since 2 January 2008)
cabinet:Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of both chambers of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)
elections:president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to seven years and changed back to five years in 2011); election last held on 23 December 2007 (next to be held first quarter 2015); prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers appointed by the president; note - to present a facade of democracy, the president nominates a candidate for prime minister, who then must be approved by a majority vote in both chambers of parliament
election results:Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 88.1%, Asliddin RUSTAMOV 3.2%, Dilorom TOSHMUHAMEDOVA 2.9%, Akmal SAIDOV 2.6%, other 3.2%


Legislative branch:
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members to serve five-year terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber (Qonunchilik Palatasi) (150 seats; 135 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, while 15 spots reserved for the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan)
elections:last held on 27 December 2009 and 10 January 2010 (next to be held in December 2014)
election results:Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, NDP 32, National Rebirth Party 31, Adolat 19
note:all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Islom KARIMOV


    Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of 34 judges organized in civil, criminal, and military sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges); Higher Economic Court (consists of 19 judges)
judge selection and term of office:judges of the 3 highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for 5-year terms subject to reappointment
subordinate courts:regional, district, city, and town courts


Political parties and leaders:
Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Harakati) [Boriy ALIXONOV]
Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV]
Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Sodiqjon TURDIYEV]
National Rebirth Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Milliy Tiklanish) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV]
People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or NDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)


Political pressure groups and leaders:
there are no significant opposition political parties or pressure groups operating in Uzbekistan


International organization participation:
ADB, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Baxtiyor GULOMOV (since 18 July 2013)
chancery:1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:[1] (202) 887-5300
FAX:[1] (202) 293-6804
consulate(s) general:New York


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador George KROL (since 10 June 2011)
embassy:3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093
mailing address:use embassy street address
telephone:[998] (71) 120-5450
FAX:[998] (71) 120-6335


Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon (closed side to the hoist) and 12 white stars shifted to the hoist on the top band; blue is the color of the Turkic peoples and of the sky, white signifies peace and the striving for purity in thoughts and deeds, while green represents nature and is the color of Islam; the red stripes are the vital force of all living organisms that links good and pure ideas with the eternal sky and with deeds on earth; the crescent represents Islam and the 12 stars the months and constellations of the Uzbek calendar


National symbol(s):
khumo (mythical bird)


National anthem:
name:'O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi' (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

lyrics/music:Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV
note:adopted 1992; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan kept the music of the anthem from its time as a Soviet Republic but adopted new lyrics

Economy

Economy - overview:
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country; 11% of the land is intensely cultivated, in irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of the population lives in densely populated rural communities. Export of hydrocarbons, primarily natural gas, provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings. Other major export earners include gold and cotton. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbekistani agriculture remains largely centered around cotton, although production has dropped by 35% since 1991. Uzbekistan is now the world's fifth largest cotton exporter and sixth largest producer. The country is addressing international criticism for the use of child labor in its cotton harvest. Following independence in September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted Article VIII obligations under the IMF, providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments and a favorable export environment. In the past Uzbekistani authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbekistani laws and have frozen and even seized their assets. At the same time, the Uzbekistani Government has actively courted several major US and international corporations, offering financing and tax advantages. A major US automaker opened a powertrain manufacturing facility in Tashkent in November 2011, but there have been no sizable US investments since then. Diminishing foreign investment and difficulties transporting goods across borders further challenge the economy of Uzbekistan.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$112.6 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$105.2 billion (2012 est.)
$97.21 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$55.18 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
8.2% (2012 est.)
8.3% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,800 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
$3,600 (2012 est.)
$3,300 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:55.7%
government consumption:16.6%
investment in fixed capital:23.5%
investment in inventories:4.9%
exports of goods and services:28%
imports of goods and services:-31.3%
(2011 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:19.1%
industry:32.2%
services:48.7% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock


Industries:
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals


Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

Labor force:
16.99 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37


Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:25.9%
industry:13.2%
services:60.9% (2012 est.)


Unemployment rate:
4.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
4.9% (2012 est.)
note:official data, another 20% are underemployed


    Population below poverty line:
17% (2011 est.)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:2.8%
highest 10%:29.6% (2003)


Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.8 (2003)
country comparison to the world: 81
44.7 (1998)


Budget:
revenues:$17.84 billion
expenditures:$18.05 billion (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
32.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-0.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52


Public debt:
7.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
6.2% of GDP (2012 est.)


Fiscal year:
calendar year


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
11.4% (2012 est.)
note:official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012


Stock of narrow money:
$6.514 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
$5.994 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$10.88 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$9.463 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$7.661 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$7.244 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2012)


Current account balance:
$1.801 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
$1.807 billion (2012 est.)


Exports:
$14.91 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$14.38 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
energy products, cotton, gold, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and nonferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles


Exports - partners:
China 21.2%, Kazakhstan 15.9%, Turkey 15.8%, Russia 14.7%, Bangladesh 9.5%, Kyrgyzstan 4% (2012)


Imports:
$12.64 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$12.06 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and nonferrous metals


Imports - partners:
Russia 20.7%, China 16.6%, South Korea 16.4%, Kazakhstan 12.5%, Germany 4.6%, Turkey 4.2%, Ukraine 4% (2012)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
$16 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Debt - external:
$8.773 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$7.342 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA


Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA


Exchange rates:
Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -
2,082.3 (2013 est.)
1,890.1 (2012 est.)
1,587.2 (2010 est.)
1,466.7 (2009)
1,317 (2008)

Energy

Electricity - production:
52.53 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51


Electricity - consumption:
44.51 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51


Electricity - exports:
12.09 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18


Electricity - imports:
12 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
11.6 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
85.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
14.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134


Crude oil - production:
102,600 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
594 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48


Refined petroleum products - production:
92,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
137,100 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71


Refined petroleum products - exports:
4,968 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90


Refined petroleum products - imports:
656 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200


Natural gas - production:
62.9 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14


Natural gas - consumption:
46.8 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18


Natural gas - exports:
13.4 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143


Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
115.9 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.963 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 60


Telephones - mobile cellular:
20.274 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 48


Telephone system:
general assessment:digital exchanges in large cities and in rural areas
domestic:the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbektelecom, owner of the fixed line telecommunications system, has used loans from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to upgrade fixed-line services including conversion to digital exchanges; mobile-cellular services are provided by 3 private and 1 state-owned operator with a total subscriber base of 19 million as of January 2014
international:country code - 998; linked by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; the country also has a link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; Uzbekistan has supported the national fiber optic backbone project of Afghanistan since 2008 (2009)



    Broadcast media:
government controls media; 14 state-owned broadcasters - 10 TV and 4 radio - provide service to virtually the entire country; about 20 privately owned TV stations, overseen by local officials, broadcast to local markets; privately owned TV stations are required to lease transmitters from the government-owned Republic TV and Radio Industry Corporation; in 2013, the government closed TV and radio broadcasters affiliated with the National Association of Electronic Mass Media of Uzbekistan, a government-sponsored NGO for private broadcast media


Internet country code:
.uz


Internet hosts:
56,075 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 94


Internet users:
4.689 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 50

Transportation

Airports
53 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 89


Airports - with paved runways
total:33
over 3,047 m:6
2,438 to 3,047 m:13
1,524 to 2,437 m:6
914 to 1,523 m:4
under 914 m:4 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:20
2,438 to 3,047 m:2
under 914 m:
18 (2013)


    Pipelines
gas 10,401 km; oil 944 km (2013)


Railways
total:4,230 kmcountry comparison to the world: 40
broad gauge:4,200 km 1.520-m gauge (930 km electrified) (2012)


Roadways
total:86,496 kmcountry comparison to the world: 52
paved:75,511 km
unpaved:10,985 km (2000)


Waterways
1,100 km (2012)
country comparison to the world: 63


Ports and terminals
river port(s):Termiz (Amu Darya)

Military

Military branches
Uzbek Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces (2013)


Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-month or 1-year conscript service obligation for males; moving toward a professional military, but conscription in some form will continue; the military cannot accommodate everyone who wishes to enlist, and competition for entrance into the military is similar to the competition for admission to universities (2013)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:7,887,292
females age 16-49:7,886,459 (2010 est.)


    Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:6,566,118
females age 16-49:6,745,818 (2010 est.)


Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:306,404
female:295,456 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan created water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas


    Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs:undetermined (government forcibly relocated an estimated 3,400 people from villages near the Tajikistan border in 2000-2001; no new data is available) (2012)


Trafficking in persons



Illicit drugs
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook