2021 Edition

Background

Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia. The country has 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 dissolution of the USSR 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 September 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 October 2021 with 80% of the vote.

Area

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

highest point

Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

lowest point

Sariqamish Kuli -12 m

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

border countries

Afghanistan 144 km, Kazakhstan 2330 km, Kyrgyzstan 1314 km, Tajikistan 1312 km, Turkmenistan 1793 km

total

6,893 km

Land use

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.)

Location

Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s)

Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

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

0-14 years

23.19% (male 3,631,693/female 3,456,750)

15-24 years

16.63% (male 2,601,803/female 2,481,826)

25-54 years

45.68% (male 6,955,260/female 7,006,172)

55-64 years

8.63% (male 1,245,035/female 1,392,263)

65 years and over

5.87% (male 768,769/female 1,025,840) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

15.85 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.9% (2017)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

5.3% (2018)

Death rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.2

potential support ratio

13.9 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.6

youth dependency ratio

43.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 96.1% of population

improved: total

total: 97.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 3.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2020)

Ethnic groups

Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 4.4% (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

58,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

4 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

15.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

23.13 deaths/1,000 live births

total

19.42 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.25 years (2021 est.)

male

71.98 years

total population

75.03 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (2019)

male

100%

total population

100%

Major urban areas - population

2.545 million TASHKENT (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

30.7 years (2020 est.)

male

29.4 years

total

30.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.7 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Uzbekistani

noun

Uzbekistani

Net migration rate

-1.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.6% (2016)

Physicians density

2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

30,842,796 (July 2021 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

0.86% (2021 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

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 (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2019)

male

13 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

50.4% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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

note

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

Capital

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

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

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 2017

history

several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992

Country name

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Daniel ROSENBLUM (since 24 May 2019)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Javlon VAHOBOV (since 29 November 2017)

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

Executive branch

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; reelected president on 24 October 2021)

election results

2021: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 80.1%, 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 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 24 October 2021 (next to be held in 2026); 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)

Flag description

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

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, 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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest courts

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 initial 5-year term and can be reappointed for subsequent 10-year and lifetime terms

subordinate courts

regional, district, city, and town courts

Legal system

civil law system; note - in early 2020, the president signed an amendment to the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility

Legislative branch

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)Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; 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 77, women 23, percent of women 23%Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, National Revival Democratic Party 36, Adolat 24, PDP 22, Ecological Movement 15; composition - men 83, women, 17, percent of women 17%

elections

Senate - last held 16-17 January 2020 (next to be held in 2025)Legislative Chamber - last held on 22 December 2019 and 5 January 2020 (next to be held in December 2024)

note

note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV

National anthem

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Narzullo OBLOMURODOV]Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Bahrom ABDUHALIMOV]Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Aktam HAITOV]National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Alisher QODIROV]People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP [Ulugbek Ilyosovich INOYATOV] (formerly Communist Party)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, potatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, tomatoes, vegetables, grapes, onions, watermelons

Budget

expenditures

15.08 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

15.22 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB- (2018)

Moody's rating

B1 (2019)

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2018)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$384 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$1.713 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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.Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdowns in neighboring Russia and China have hurt Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsened its foreign currency shortage. 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 and election of President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, emphasis on such initiatives and government efforts to improve the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets.As a part of its economic reform efforts, the Uzbek Government is looking to expand opportunities for small and medium enterprises and prioritizes increasing foreign direct investment. In September 2017, the government devalued the official currency rate by almost 50% and announced the loosening of currency restrictions to eliminate the currency black market, increase access to hard currency, and boost investment.

Exchange rates

currency

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

2,311.4 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2,569.6 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

2,966.6 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

2,966.6 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

3,906.1 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$14.14 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$16.99 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$14.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, natural gas, cotton fibers, copper, ethylene polymers (2019)

Exports - partners

Switzerland 19%, United Kingdom 17%, Russia 15%, China 14%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 8%, Kyrgyzstan 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

19% (2017 est.)

government consumption

16.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

59.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-20% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

17.9% (2017 est.)

industry

33.7% (2017 est.)

services

48.5% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$57.789 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1998

44.7 (1998)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2003

36.8 (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.6% (2003)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Imports

Imports 2018

$23.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$26.55 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$22.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, aircraft, construction vehicles (2019)

Imports - partners

China 23%, Russia 18%, South Korea 11%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

4.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

8% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

12.5% (2017 est.)

note

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

Labor force

13.273 million (2018 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

25.9%

industry

13.2%

services

60.9% (2012 est.)

Population below poverty line

14.1% (2013 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

10.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

24.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$222.63 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$235.54 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$239.42 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

7.9% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

7.8% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

5.3% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$6,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$7,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$7,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

31.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: official data; another 20% are underemployed

Unemployment rate 2016

5.1% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

5% (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

27,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

420 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

594 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

49.07 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

13 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

10.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

12.96 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

55.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

43.07 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

9.401 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

52.1 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

60,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

3,977 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

61,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14.4 (2020 est.)

total

4,820,009 (2020)

Broadcast media

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 with recent appointment of the Uzbek President's elder daughter as it deputy director (2019)

Internet country code

.uz

Internet users

percent of population

52.31% (2019 est.)

total

18.6 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 11 per 100 person and mobile-cellular 101 per 100; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbek Telecom, 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 2 private and 3 state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 22.8 million as of January 2018 (2019)

general assessment

land-locked, authoritarian state with government grip on ICT technology and no integrated plan; government plans to develop infrastructure to improve geographical disparities in service; increased investment in infrastructure, with aims of expanding subscriber base and rising revenue; some villages have no connectivity, and 70% have 2G with development of 3G and 4G; free WiFi spots across country to boost tourism; Russian operator invested in joint venture on mobile services; government in discussion with Huawei on additional ventures; digital exchanges in large cities and some rural areas; fixed-line is underdeveloped due to preeminence of mobile market; introduction of prepaid Internet has contributed to home Internet usage; consumers largely reliant on terrestrial links and VSAT networks; media controlled by state; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)

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

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10.61 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

3,550,069 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

99.75 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

33.387 million (2020)

Airports

total

53 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

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

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

total

20

under 914 m

18 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

UK

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

89.43 million mt-km (2018)

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)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

river port(s)

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Railways

broad gauge

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

total

4,642 km (2018)

Roadways

paved

75,511 km (2000)

total

86,496 km (2000)

unpaved

10,985 km (2000)

Waterways

1,100 km (2012)

Military - note

the Uzbek armed forces were established in January 1992, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when the newly-established Ministry for Defense Affairs 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 1995; as of 2021, Uzbekistan continued to maintain bilateral defense ties with Russia based on a 2005 mutual security agreement as of 2021, Uzbekistan was not part of the Russian-sponsored Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) that is comprised of former Soviet Republics; Uzbekistan joined in the 1990s but withdrew in 1999; it returned in 2006 but left again in 2012

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Interior: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, Security Service (2021)

note

note - the National Guard, also under the Ministry of Defense, ensures public order and security of diplomatic missions, radio and television broadcasting, and other state entities

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 50-60,000 total active troops (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 they have received weapons and aircraft from a variety of sources, including China, France, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and the US (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

4% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year conscript service obligation for males (conscripts have the option of paying for a shorter service of one month while remaining in the reserves until the age of 27); Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions (2021)

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 opium and heroin destined for Russia and the European Union; also transit country for hashish, cannabis products, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), and synthetic drugs; cannabis and poppy are cultivated in small amounts for personal use and local sale

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

69,791 (2020)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; adults are victims of government-organized forced labor during Uzbekistan’s annual cotton harvest; local officials in some instances force teachers, students (including children), private businesses employees, and others to work in construction and other forms of non-cotton agriculture and to clean parks, streets, and buildings; traffickers exploit Uzbek women and children in sex trafficking in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia, and internally in brothels, clubs, and private residences; traffickers subject Uzbek men, and to a lesser extent women, to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Russia, Moldova, Turkey, and in other Asian, Middle Eastern, and European countries in the construction, oil and gas, agricultural, retail, and food sectors

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; government efforts included addressing the use of forced adult labor during the cotton harvest by increasing pay to laborers and improving working conditions for voluntary workers and ceasing the forced use of students, teachers, and health care workers; third-party monitors were allowed access to the harvest to view changes; the government created a National Commission on Trafficking chaired by the regional governor in every area of the country; however, reports continued of corrupt officials requiring public sector employees to pick cotton or pay for a replacement worker with extorted penalties paid to them; fewer cases of traffickers were investigated and prosecuted, fewer victims of trafficking were identified, and fewer convictions carried a prison sentence; authorities conducted no investigations against corrupt officials extorting money during the cotton harvest (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan

note

note: 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 Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

91.81 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

96.16 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

25.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

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, 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

Land use

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.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s)

Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

48.87 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

54.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

2.13 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

2.41 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

50.4% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4 million tons (2016 est.)