1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly larger than California
Climate
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
Coastline
0 km note: Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
Environment--current issues
drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; 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 agricultural chemicals, including DDT
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geographic coordinates
41 00 N, 64 00 E
Geography--note
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world
Irrigated land
40,000 sq km (1993 est.)
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
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 3% other: 41% (1993 est.)
Location
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
Map references
Commonwealth of Independent States
Maritime claims
none (doubly landlocked)
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Terrain
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Sirdaryo (Syr Darya), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 37% (male 4,556,973; female 4,413,617) 15-64 years: 58% (male 6,938,090; female 7,068,839) 65 years and over: 5% (male 443,604; female 681,350) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
23.43 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
7.75 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate
71.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 63.91 years male: 60.29 years female: 67.71 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (yearend 1996)
Nationality
noun: Uzbekistani(s) adjective: Uzbekistani
Net migration rate
-2.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
24,102,473 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.32% (1999 est.)
Religions
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.82 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
12 wiloyatlar (singular--wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Capital
Tashkent (Toshkent)
Constitution
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi local short form: none former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code
UZ
Executive branch
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) head of government: Prime Minister Otkir SULTONOV (since 21 December 1995) and 10 deputy prime ministers cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA January 2000; note--extension of President KARIMOV's term for an additional four years overwhelmingly approved--99.6% of total vote in favor--by national referendum held 26 March 1995); prime minister and all other ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV elected president; percent of vote--Islom KARIMOV 86%, Muhammed SOLIH 12%, other 2%
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
Government type
republic; effectively authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch; executive power concentrated in the presidency
Independence
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
International organization participation
AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sadyk SAFAYEV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. PRESEL embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115 mailing address: use embassy street address; US Embassy Tashkent, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7110
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party or NDP YULDASHEV, chairman]; Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party secretary] Political pressure groups and leaders: Birlik (Unity) Movement
Legal system
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system
Legislative branch
unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--People's Democratic Party 207, Fatherland Progress Party 12, other 31; note--seating following the final runoff elections were held 22 January 1995: People's Democratic Party 69, Fatherland Progress Party 14, Social Democratic Party 47, local government 120 note: all parties in parliament support President KARIMOV
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock
Budget
revenues: $4.4 billion expenditures: $4.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (1997 est.)
Currency
Uzbekistani som (UKS)
Debt--external
$2.6 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$276.6 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It was one of the poorest areas of the former Soviet Union with more than 60% of its population living in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's third largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Faced with high rates of inflation, however, the government began to reform in mid-1994, by introducing tighter monetary policies, expanding privatization, slightly reducing the role of the state in the economy, and improving the environment for foreign investors. Nevertheless, the state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy, and reforms have so far failed to bring about much-needed structural changes. The IMF suspended Uzbekistan's $185 million standby arrangement in late 1996 because of governmental steps that made impossible fulfillment of Fund conditions. Uzbekistan has responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by tightening export and currency controls within its already largely closed economy.
Electricity--consumption
43.885 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
5.6 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
6.5 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
47.9 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 84.18% hydro: 15.82% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Uzbekistani soms (UKS) per US$1--111.9 (February 1999), 110.95 (December 1998), 75.8 (September 1997), 41.1 (1996), 30.2 (1995), 11.4 (1994), 1.0 (1993)
Exports
$3.8 billion (1998)
Exports--commodities
cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, autos
Exports--partners
Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Western Europe
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$59.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 26% industry: 27% services: 47% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$4.1 billion (1998)
Imports--commodities
grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods
Imports--partners
principally other FSU, Czech Republic, Western Europe
Industrial production growth rate
5% (1998)
Industries
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
40% (1998 est.)
Labor force
11.9 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture and forestry 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
5% plus another 10% underemployed (December 1996 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note--there are 12 radio broadcast stations including one state-owned broadcast station of NA type and four independent stations
Radios
29,016,870
Telephone system
poorly developed; ambitiously engaged in telecommunications modernization domestic: in 1998 there were six cellular networks operating in Uzbekistan; 4 GSM, 1 D-AMPS, 1 AMPS standard international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; new Intelsat links to Tokyo (Japan) and Ankara (Turkey) give Uzbekistan international access independent of Russian facilities; satellite earth stations--NA Orbita and NA Intelsat; Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line
Telephones
1.475 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations
4 (in addition, there are two repeater stations that relay Russian ORT programs and Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tadzhik programs) (1997)
Televisions
24,497,850
Transportation
Airports
3 (1997 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km (note--these roads are said to be hard surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) unpaved: 10,363 km dirt (1996 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992) Ports and harbors: Termiz (Amu Darya river)
Railways
total: 3,380 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 3,380 km 1.520-m gauge (300 km electrified) (1993)
Waterways
1,100 (1990)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$200 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.4% (1997)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 6,172,436 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,012,944 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 254,114 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and very small amounts of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption, almost entirely eradicated by an effective government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe and for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan