Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia, with a diverse economy and a relatively young population. Russia conquered and united the disparate territories of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to the overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, leaving the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half-dry. Independent since the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) dissolved in 1991, the country has diversified agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base, although cotton remains a major part of its economy. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islom KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms. MIRZIYOYEV was reelected in 2021 with 80% of the vote and again following a 2023 constitutional referendum with 87% of the vote.

land

425,400 sq km

total

447,400 sq km

water

22,000 sq km

about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California

mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

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

highest point

Xazrat Sulton Tog' 4,643 m

lowest point

Sariqamish Kuli -12 m

41 00 N, 64 00 E

along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

37,320 sq km (2020)

border countries

Afghanistan 144 km; Kazakhstan 2,330 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,314 km; Tajikistan 1,312 km; Turkmenistan 1,793 km

total

6,893 km

agricultural land

62.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.)

forest

7.7% (2018 est.)

other

29.7% (2018 est.)

Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan

fresh water lake(s)

Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up

Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river mouth (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan) - 2,620 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Asia

none (doubly landlocked)

earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts

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

most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, while the central and western deserts are sparsely populated

mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zaravshan; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

0-14 years

29.6% (male 5,597,947/female 5,213,403)

15-64 years

63.7% (male 11,649,017/female 11,617,411)

65 years and over

6.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,077,849/female 1,364,966)

beer

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

20.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

women married by age 15

0.2%

women married by age 18

3.4% (2022 est.)

1.8% (2021)

NA

6.8% of GDP (2020)

68.6% (2023 est.)

5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

7.2

potential support ratio

13 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

54

youth dependency ratio

46.3

improved: rural

rural: 96.1% of population

improved: total

total: 97.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 3.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.4% of population

4.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.9% (2017 est.)

1.33 (2024 est.)

4 beds/1,000 population (2014)

female

15.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

21.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

18.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: in the semi-autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

female

79 years

male

73.6 years

total population

76.2 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (2019)

male

100%

total population

100%

2.603 million TASHKENT (capital) (2023)

30 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

29.8 years

male

28.1 years

total

28.9 years (2024 est.)

23.7 years (2019 est.)

adjective

Uzbekistani

noun

Uzbekistani

-1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

16.6% (2016)

2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

female

18,195,780 (2024 est.)

male

18,324,813

total

36,520,593

most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, while the central and western deserts are sparsely populated

1.43% (2024 est.)

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

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

female

12 years (2021)

male

12 years

total

12 years

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

1.1% (2020 est.)

male

34% (2020 est.)

total

17.6% (2020 est.)

2.76 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

50.5% of total population (2023)

12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 3 cities** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati [Bukhara Province], Farg'ona Viloyati [Fergana Province], Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Shahri, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Shahri [Samarkand City], Samarqand Viloyati [Samarkand Province], Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Nurafshon], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)  

note

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) 

etymology

tash means "stone" and kent means "city" in Turkic languages, so the name simply denotes "stone city"

geographic coordinates

41 19 N, 69 15 E

name

Tashkent (Toshkent)

time difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Uzbekistan

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

amendments

proposed by the Supreme Assembly or by referendum; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of both houses of the Assembly or passage in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2023

history

several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992

note

note: in a public referendum passed in April 2023, among the changes were the extension of the presidential term to 7 years from 5 years, and modifications to the structure and powers of the Supreme Assembly and to the criminal code 

conventional long form

Republic of Uzbekistan

conventional short form

Uzbekistan

etymology

a combination of the Turkic words "uz" (self) and "bek" (master) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) to give the meaning "Land of the Free"

former

Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

O'zbekiston Respublikasi

local short form

O'zbekiston

chief of mission

Ambassador Jonathan HENICK (since 14 October 2022)

email address and website

ACSTashkent@state.govhttps://uz.usembassy.gov/

embassy

3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent

FAX

[998] 78-120-6335

mailing address

7110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC  20521-7110

telephone

[998] 78-120-5450

chancery

1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Furqat SIDIKOV (since 19 April 2023)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

info.washington@mfa.uzhttps://www.uzbekistan.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 293-6804

telephone

[1] (202) 887-5300

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)

chief of state

President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 14 December 2016)

election results

2023: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in snap election; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 87.71%, Robaxon Maxmudova (Adolat) 4.47%, Ulugbek Inoyatov (PDP) 4.05%, Abdushukur Xamzayev (Ecological Party) 3.77%2021: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 80.3%, Maqsuda VORISOVA (PDP) 6.7%, Alisher QODIROV (National Revival Democratic Party) 5.5%, Narzullo OBLOMURODOV (Ecological Party) 4.1%, Bahrom ABDUHALIMOV (Adolat) 3.4%2016: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Hotamjon KETMONOV (PDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURODOV (National Revival Democratic Party) 2.4%, other 1.8%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended to 7 years by a 2023 constitutional amendment); election last held on 9 July 2023  (next to be held in 2030); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011 but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016)

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a vertical, white crescent moon (closed side to the hoist) and 12 white, five-pointed 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

presidential republic; highly authoritarian

1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and economic sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges)

judge selection and term of office

judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for a single 10-year term; the court chairman and deputies appointed for 10-year terms without the right to reelection. (Article 132 of the constitution)

subordinate courts

regional, district, city, and town courts

civil law system; note: in early 2020, the president signed an amendment to the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility; a constitutional referendum passed in April 2023 included criminal code reforms  

description

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of:Senate or Senat (100 seats); 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms); note - amendments to the constitution approved in April 2023 call for the reduction of Senate seats to 65 from 100Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats statutory, 140 seats current; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 68, women 22, percentage women 24.4%Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - Liberal Democratic Party 34.8%, the National Revival Democratic Party 18.8%, the People's Democratic Party 17.1%, the Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party 16.2%, the Ecological Party 13.1%; seats by party - LDP 64, National Revival Democratic Party 29, PDP 20, Adolat 21, the Ecological Party 16

elections

Senate - last held 16-17 January 2020 (next to be held in 2025)Legislative Chamber - last held on 27 October 2024

lyrics/music

Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV

name

"O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

note

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

selected World Heritage Site locales

Itchan Kala (c); Historic Bukhara (c); Historic Shakhrisyabz (c); Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures (c); Western Tien Shan (n); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c)

total World Heritage Sites

7 (5 cultural, 2 natural)

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

khumo (mythical bird); national colors: blue, white, red, green

Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi)Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of UzbekistanLiberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPUNational Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi)People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP (formerly Communist Party)

18 years of age; universal

milk, wheat, carrots/turnips, cotton, potatoes, tomatoes, grapes, vegetables, watermelons, apples (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

3.2% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

46.4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$20.79 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$20.578 billion (2022 est.)

Fitch rating

BB- (2018)

Moody's rating

B1 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2018)

Current account balance 2021

-$4.898 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$617.833 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$7.788 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$22.305 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

lower middle-income Central Asian economy; CIS Free Trade Area member but no intention of EAEU membership; key natural gas, cotton, and gold exporter; landlocked and environmentally fragile; positive growth through COVID-19, but poverty increasing

Currency

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

8,836.788 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

10,054.261 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

10,609.464 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

11,050.145 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

11,734.833 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$16.442 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$21.926 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$24.536 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, cotton yarn, garments, natural gas, refined copper (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Switzerland 25%, Russia 15%, China 12%, Turkey 9%, Kazakhstan 7% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

26.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

16.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

59.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-45.5% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

34.8% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

8.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

23% (2023 est.)

industry

30.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

41% (2023 est.)

$90.889 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

31.2 (2022 est.)

highest 10%

23.2% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.5% (2022 est.)

Imports 2021

$27.936 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$35.61 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$42.098 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, cars, wheat, refined petroleum (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 24%, Russia 19%, Kazakhstan 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

6.15% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

12.87% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

10.85% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11.45% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

14.27 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt 2017

24.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$284.984 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$301.139 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$319.174 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

7.4% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.67% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.99% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$8,200 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$8,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$8,800 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

13.33% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

20.63% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

17.71% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$35.375 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$35.774 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$34.558 billion (2023 est.)

14.79% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

5.35% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

4.54% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.53% (2023 est.)

female

18.3% (2023 est.)

male

7.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

11% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

9.807 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

82.37 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

11.041 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

103.219 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

7.396 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

9,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

2.194 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

5.356 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

1.375 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

67.642 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

2.644 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

6.232 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

16.926 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

10.704 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

93.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

6.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

53.528 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

43.227 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

5.595 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

12,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

47.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

1.841 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

594 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

91,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

64,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2020 est.)

total

4,820,009 (2020 est.)

the government controls media; 17 state-owned broadcasters - 13 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 2019, the Uzbek Agency for Press and Information was reorganized into the Agency of Information and Mass Communications and became part of the Uzbek Presidential Administration (2019)

.uz

percent of population

77% (2021 est.)

total

26.18 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line nearly 16 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity of 103 per 100 persons (2022)

general assessment

Uzbekistan’s telecom markets both wireline and wireless have been playing "catch up" in terms of their development following the country's independence from the former Soviet Union; the government has formally adopted the principles of operating as a market economy, many elements of the old centrally planned economic model remain; this has had the effect of reducing the level of interest from foreign companies and investors in building out the necessary underlying infrastructure, which in turn has constrained the rate of growth in the country’s telecoms sector; the last five years has seen an upswing in prospects for the sector as fiber network roll outs continue beyond the main urban centers, while the mobile market experiences some consolidation for stronger, more efficient competitors; growth is present in the fixed broadband segment with penetration projected to reach 24% by 2027 (a 5-year CAGR of 6.2%); despite the promising signs in the fixed markets, it is the mobile segment that continues to dominate Uzbekistan’s telecoms sector in terms of penetration, revenue, and growth;  there are four major operators providing a modicum of competition; three of the four are government owned entities (2024)

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

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

5.686 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

103 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

35.69 million (2022 est.)

74 (2024)

UK

3 (2024)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

89.43 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

3,056,558 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

34

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

13,700 km gas, 944 km oil (2016)

broad gauge

4,642 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified)

total

4,642 km (2018)

total

225,500 km (2013)

1,100 km (2012)

the military’s primary concerns and responsibilities are border security, ensuring the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, instability in neighboring countries, and terrorism; the military is equipped largely with Soviet-era arms and its units are based on Soviet Army formations that were in the territory of Uzbekistan when the USSR collapsed in 1991; the armed forces were established in January 1992 when Uzbekistan assumed jurisdiction over all former Soviet ground, air, and air defense units, formations, and installations then deployed on its soil; the building hosting the headquarters for the ex-Soviet Turkestan Military District became the headquarters for the Uzbek armed forces; all former Soviet troops departed Uzbekistan by 1995Uzbekistan joined the Russian-sponsored Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the 1990s but withdrew in 1999; it returned in 2006 but left again in 2012; although it is not part of CSTO, Uzbekistan continues to maintain defense ties with Russia, including joint military exercises and defense industrial cooperation; it also has defense ties with other regional countries, including India, Pakistan, and Turkey; it is part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and participates in SCO training exercises (2023)

Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, police (2023)

note

note: the National Guard is under the Defense Ministry, but is independent of the other military services; it is responsible for ensuring public order and the security of diplomatic missions, radio and television broadcasting, and other state entities

information varies; approximately 50-60,000 active-duty troops, including 10-15,000 Air Force (2023)

the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Russian or Soviet-era weapons and equipment with smaller quantities of items from suppliers such as China, Turkey, and the US; Uzbekistan has a small defense industry, which is involved in repairing and maintaining aircraft and armored vehicles, as well as producing light armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles/drones, and other military items (2024)

Military Expenditures 2015

2.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military Expenditures 2016

2.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 12-month conscript service obligation for men (those conscripted have the option of paying for a shorter service of 1 month while remaining in the reserves until the age of 27) (2023)

note

note: Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions

a transit country for Afghan heroin, opium, and hashish destined to Kazakhstan, Russia, and Europe;  cannabis and opium poppy are grown domestically for personal use and sale

refugees (country of origin)

13,031 (Afghanistan) (mid-year 2022)

stateless persons

31,829 (2022)

Agency for Space Research and Technology (Uzbekcosmos; established 2019) (2024)

has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites and developing the country’s space industry; Uzbekcosmos largely sets state policy and shapes the strategic direction, development, and use of the country’s space-related industries and technologies in key sectors, including cartography, environmental and disaster monitoring, land use, resource management, and telecommunications; also has an astronomy program; cooperates with foreign space agencies or commercial companies from a variety of countries, including those of Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, and Spain (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K)

note

note 1: these groups have typically been active in the area where the Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Tajik borders converge and ill-defined and porous borders allow for the relatively free movement of people and illicit goods note 2: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

carbon dioxide emissions

91.81 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

96.16 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

40.98 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

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

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

agricultural land

62.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.)

forest

7.7% (2018 est.)

other

29.7% (2018 est.)

fresh water lake(s)

Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up

Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river mouth (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan) - 2,620 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

48.87 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

54.36 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

2.13 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

2.41 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

50.5% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

4 million tons (2016 est.)