2017 Edition

Background

Russia conquered the territory 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 overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991 upon the dissolution of the USSR, the country has reduced its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islom KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. The political transition to his successor, then-Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV was peaceful, but sidelined the constitutional process where the chairman of the Senate would have served as the acting president. MIRZIYOYEV, who won the presidential election in December 2016, has improved relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic and judicial reforms.

Area

447,400 sq km 425,400 sq km 22,000 sq km

land

425,400 sq km

total

447,400 sq km

water

22,000 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Climate

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

Coastline

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

Elevation

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

elevation extremes

lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m

highest point

Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

mean elevation

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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands none of the selected 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

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

42,150 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

6,893 km Afghanistan 144 km, Kazakhstan 2,330 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,314 km, Tajikistan 1,312 km, Turkmenistan 1,793 km

border countries (5)

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

total

6,893 km

Land use

62.6% arable land 10.1%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 51.7% 7.7% 29.7% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

62.6%

forest

7.7%

other

29.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (doubly landlocked)

Natural hazards

earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

23.88% (male 3,640,914/female 3,464,304) 18.52% (male 2,804,516/female 2,706,399) 44.49% (male 6,583,745/female 6,651,261) 7.85% (male 1,105,034/female 1,231,714) 5.25% (male 667,109/female 893,863) (2017 est.)

0-14 years

23.88% (male 3,640,914/female 3,464,304)

15-24 years

18.52% (male 2,804,516/female 2,706,399)

25-54 years

44.49% (male 6,583,745/female 6,651,261)

55-64 years

7.85% (male 1,105,034/female 1,231,714)

65 years and over

5.25% (male 667,109/female 893,863) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

16.8 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Death rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

47.7 41.4 6.2 16 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

6.2

potential support ratio

16 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.7

youth dependency ratio

41.4

Drinking water source

urban: 98.5% of population rural: 80.9% of population total: 87.3% of population urban: 1.5% of population rural: 19.1% of population total: 12.7% of population (2012 est.)

rural

19.1% of population

total

12.7% of population (2012 est.)

urban

1.5% of population

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

5.8% of GDP (2014)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

4.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

18 deaths/1,000 live births 21.4 deaths/1,000 live births 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

female

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

male

21.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

18 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% in the Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

note

in the Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

Life expectancy at birth

74 years 71 years 77.3 years (2017 est.)

female

77.3 years (2017 est.)

male

71 years

total population

74 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 100% 100% 100% (2015 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (2015 est.)

male

100%

total population

100%

Major urban areas - population

TASHKENT (capital) 2.251 million (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio

36 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

28.6 years 28 years 29.2 years (2017 est.)

female

29.2 years (2017 est.)

male

28 years

total

28.6 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.4 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

Uzbekistani Uzbekistani

adjective

Uzbekistani

noun

Uzbekistani

Net migration rate

-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.6% (2016)

Physicians density

2.45 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

29,748,859 (July 2017 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.93% (2017 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

rural

0% of population

total

0% of population (2015 est.)

urban

0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

12 years 13 years 12 years (2016)

female

12 years (2016)

male

13 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

1.06 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female 0.9 male(s)/female 0.74 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

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

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2017 est.)

Urbanization

36.6% of total population (2017) 1.62% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.62% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

36.6% of total population (2017)

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

note

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

Capital

Tashkent (Toshkent) 41 19 N, 69 15 E UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

no at least one parent must be a citizen of Uzbekistan no 5 years

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

Constitution

several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992 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 2014 (2017)

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 2014 (2017)

history

several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992

Country name

Republic of Uzbekistan Uzbekistan O'zbekiston Respublikasi O'zbekiston Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic 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"

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Pamela L. SPRATLEN (since 27 January 2015) 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093 use embassy street address [998] (71) 120-5450 [998] (71) 120-6335

chief of mission

Ambassador Pamela L. SPRATLEN (since 27 January 2015)

embassy

3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093

FAX

[998] (71) 120-6335

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[998] (71) 120-5450

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Javlon VAHOBOV (since 1 December 2017) 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 [1] (202) 887-5300 [1] (202) 293-6804 New York

chancery

1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Javlon VAHOBOV (since 1 December 2017)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 293-6804

telephone

[1] (202) 887-5300

Executive branch

President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (interim president from 8 September 2016; formally elected president on 4 December 2016 to succeed longtime President Islom KARIMOV, who died on 2 September 2016) Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Achilbay RAMATOV (since 15 December 2016) Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis) president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to 7 years, and reverted to 5 years in 2011); election last held on 4 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011, but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Khatamjon KETMONOV (NDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURADOV (Milliy Tiklanish/National Revival) 2.4%, other 1.8%

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 (interim president from 8 September 2016; formally elected president on 4 December 2016 to succeed longtime President Islom KARIMOV, who died on 2 September 2016)

election results

Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Khatamjon KETMONOV (NDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURADOV (Milliy Tiklanish/National Revival) 2.4%, other 1.8%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to 7 years, and reverted to 5 years in 2011); election last held on 4 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021); 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); First Deputy Prime Minister Achilbay RAMATOV (since 15 December 2016)

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

Government type

presidential republic; highly authoritarian

Independence

1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

ADB, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, 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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, economic, and military sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for initial 5-year term, subsequent 10-year term, and lifetime term subject to reappointment regional, district, city, and town courts; economic courts

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, economic, and military 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 Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for initial 5-year term, subsequent 10-year term, and lifetime term subject to reappointment

subordinate courts

regional, district, city, and town courts; economic courts

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of the Senate (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) and the Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; 135 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round, if needed, and 15 indirectly elected by the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan; members serve 5-year terms) all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV last held on 21 December 2014 and 4 January 2015 (next to be held in December 2019) Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 52, National Revival Democratic Party 36, NDP 27, Adolat 20, Ecological Movement 15

description

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of the Senate (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) and the Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; 135 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round, if needed, and 15 indirectly elected by the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan; members serve 5-year terms)

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 52, National Revival Democratic Party 36, NDP 27, Adolat 20, Ecological Movement 15

elections

last held on 21 December 2014 and 4 January 2015 (next to be held in December 2019)

note

all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV

National anthem

"O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan) Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV 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

lyrics/music

Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV

name

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

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

National symbol(s)

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

khumo (mythical bird); national colors

blue, white, red, green

Political parties and leaders

Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Harakati) [Boriy ALIKHANOV] Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV] Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV] National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV] People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or NDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)

Political pressure groups and leaders

no significant opposition political parties or pressure groups in Uzbekistan

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Budget

$21.37 billion $21.31 billion (2016 est.)

expenditures

$21.31 billion (2016 est.)

revenues

$21.37 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

9% (2016) 9% (2015)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

16% (31 December 2016 est.) 11.2% (31 December 2012 est.)

Current account balance

$498 million (2016 est.) $-159.7 million (2015 est.)

Debt - external

$16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $14.84 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.8 (2003) 44.7 (1998)

Economy - overview

Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in which 51% of the population lives in urban settlements; the agriculture-rich Fergana Valley, in which Uzbekistan’s eastern borders are situated, has been counted among the most densely populated parts of Central Asia. Since its independence in September 1991, the government has largely maintained its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production, prices, and access to foreign currency. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbek agriculture remains largely centered on cotton; Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter and seventh-largest producer. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments, and export of natural gas, gold, and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings. In early 2016, Russia’s Gazprom announced it planned to increase purchases of Uzbek gas. Aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government is taking incremental steps to reform the business sector and address impediments to foreign investment in the country. Since the death of first President Islam KARIMOV, rhetorical emphasis on such initiatives and ostensible government efforts to seek input from the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets. At the same time, the Uzbek Government has actively courted several major US and international corporations, offering financing and tax advantages. 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, and the government has lately raised the issue of currency reform in a number of official decrees and proclamations. Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdown in neighboring Russia and China have been hurting Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsening its problem of foreign currency shortage.

Exchange rates

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 2,966.6 (2016 est.) 2,966.6 (2015 est.) 2,569.6 (2014 est.) 2,311.4 (2013 est.) 1,890.1 (2012 est.)

Exports

$11.2 billion (2016 est.) $11.5 billion (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities

energy products, cotton, gold, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and nonferrous metals, textiles, foodstuffs, machinery, automobiles

Exports - partners

Switzerland 35.1%, China 19.7%, Russia 9.3%, Turkey 8.7%, Kazakhstan 7.2%, Bangladesh 5.4%, Afghanistan 4.9% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

60.1% 16.5% 24.8% 3% 19.9% -21.2% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services

19.9%

government consumption

16.5%

household consumption

60.1%

imports of goods and services

-21.2% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.8%

investment in inventories

3%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

18.5% 34.6% 46.8% (2016 est.)

agriculture

18.5%

industry

34.6%

services

46.8% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$6,600 (2016 est.) $6,200 (2015 est.) $5,800 (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars

note

data are in 2016 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

7.8% (2016 est.) 8% (2015 est.) 8.1% (2014 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$66.85 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$205.6 billion (2016 est.) $188.4 billion (2015 est.) $172.5 billion (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars

note

data are in 2016 dollars

Gross national saving

31.6% of GDP (2016 est.) 31.6% of GDP (2015 est.) 32.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

2.8% 29.6% (2003)

highest 10%

29.6% (2003)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Imports

$10.91 billion (2016 est.) $12 billion (2015 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and nonferrous metals

Imports - partners

China 22.2%, Russia 18%, South Korea 10.5%, Kazakhstan 10%, Turkey 5.8%, Germany 5.2% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2016 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8% (2016 est.) 10% (2015 est.) official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012

note

official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012

Labor force

17.85 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

25.9% 13.2% 60.9% (2012 est.)

agriculture

25.9%

industry

13.2%

services

60.9% (2012 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2012) $715.3 million (31 December 2006)

Population below poverty line

14% (2016 est.)

Public debt

15.4% of GDP (2016 est.) 13.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$14 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $15 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of broad money

$17.47 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $16.26 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$11.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $11.78 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$7.555 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $7.403 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

32.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.9% (2016 est.) 4.9% (2015 est.) official data; another 20% are underemployed

note

official data; another 20% are underemployed

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

109 million Mt (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

27,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - imports

380 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

52,910 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

594 million bbl (1 January 2017 es)

Electricity - consumption

48 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - exports

13 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

86.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

13.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - imports

13 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

12.93 million kW (2015 est.)

Electricity - production

59 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

100% (2016)

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

7.55 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - exports

14.7 billion cu m (2014 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

55.7 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

61,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

4,102 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

63,650 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Broadcast media

government controls media; 18 state-owned broadcasters - 14 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 (NAEMM) of Uzbekistan, a government-sponsored NGO for private broadcast media; in 2015, the NAEMM relaunched its TV channel under a different name (2017)

Internet country code

.uz

Internet users

13,791,083 46.8% (July 2016 est.)

percent of population

46.8% (July 2016 est.)

total

13,791,083

Telephone system

digital exchanges in large cities and in rural areas 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 three private and two state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 23 million as of mid-2016 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 (2016)

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 three private and two state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 23 million as of mid-2016

general assessment

digital exchanges in large cities and in rural areas

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 (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

3,412,921 12 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

12 (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

3,412,921

Telephones - mobile cellular

23,265,389 79 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

79 (July 2016 est.)

total

23,265,389

Airports

53 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

4 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

2,438 to 3,047 m

13

914 to 1,523 m

4

over 3,047 m

6

total

33

under 914 m

4 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

18 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

total

20

under 914 m

18 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

UK (2016)

National air transport system

2,486,673 114,334,520 mt-km (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

114,334,520 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,486,673

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

29

number of registered air carriers

2

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

Termiz (Amu Darya)

river port(s)

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Railways

4,304 km 4,304 km 1.520-m gauge (1,354 km electrified) (2016)

broad gauge

4,304 km 1.520-m gauge (1,354 km electrified) (2016)

total

4,304 km

Roadways

86,496 km 75,511 km 10,985 km (2000)

paved

75,511 km

total

86,496 km

unpaved

10,985 km (2000)

Waterways

1,100 km (2012)

Military branches

Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard (2017)

Armed Forces

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard (2017)

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; note - widely considered to have one of the strongest militaries in Central Asia, although it is untested (2016)

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

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

86,524 (2016)

stateless persons

86,524 (2016)

Trafficking in persons

Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; government-compelled forced labor of adults remained endemic during the 2014 cotton harvest; despite a decree banning the use of persons under 18, children were mobilized to harvest cotton by local officials in some districts; in some regions, local officials forced teachers, students, private business employees, and others to work in construction, agriculture, and cleaning parks; Uzbekistani women and children are victims of sex trafficking domestically and in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia; Uzbekistani men and, to a lesser extent, women are subjected to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine in the construction, oil, agriculture, retail, and food sectors Tier 2 Watch List – Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; law enforcement efforts in 2014 were mixed; the government made efforts to combat sex and transnational labor trafficking, but government-compelled forced labor of adults in the cotton harvest went unaddressed, and the decree prohibiting forced child labor was not applied universally; official complicity in human trafficking in the cotton harvest remained prevalent; authorities made efforts to identify and protect sex and transnational labor victims, although a systematic process is still lacking; minimal efforts were made to assist victims of forced labor in the cotton harvest, as the government does not openly acknowledge the existence of this forced labor; the ILO did not have permission or funding to monitor the 2014 harvest, but the government authorized the UN's International Labour Organization to conduct a survey on recruitment practices and working conditions in agriculture, particularly the cotton sector, and to monitor the 2015-17 cotton harvests for child and forced labor in project areas (2015)

current situation

Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; government-compelled forced labor of adults remained endemic during the 2014 cotton harvest; despite a decree banning the use of persons under 18, children were mobilized to harvest cotton by local officials in some districts; in some regions, local officials forced teachers, students, private business employees, and others to work in construction, agriculture, and cleaning parks; Uzbekistani women and children are victims of sex trafficking domestically and in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia; Uzbekistani men and, to a lesser extent, women are subjected to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine in the construction, oil, agriculture, retail, and food sectors

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; law enforcement efforts in 2014 were mixed; the government made efforts to combat sex and transnational labor trafficking, but government-compelled forced labor of adults in the cotton harvest went unaddressed, and the decree prohibiting forced child labor was not applied universally; official complicity in human trafficking in the cotton harvest remained prevalent; authorities made efforts to identify and protect sex and transnational labor victims, although a systematic process is still lacking; minimal efforts were made to assist victims of forced labor in the cotton harvest, as the government does not openly acknowledge the existence of this forced labor; the ILO did not have permission or funding to monitor the 2014 harvest, but the government authorized the UN's International Labour Organization to conduct a survey on recruitment practices and working conditions in agriculture, particularly the cotton sector, and to monitor the 2015-17 cotton harvests for child and forced labor in project areas (2015)