2023 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

Xazrat Sulton Tog' 4,643 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

37,320 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

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

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 Zaravshan; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Age structure

0-14 years

22.48% (male 3,612,997/female 3,437,866)

15-64 years

70.64% (male 11,055,763/female 11,097,841)

65 years and over

6.88% (2023 est.) (male 933,134/female 1,223,235)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

22.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

0.2%

women married by age 18

3.4% (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.8% (2021)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

6.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

68.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.2

potential support ratio

13 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

54

youth dependency ratio

46.3

Drinking water source

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

Education expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.41 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

4 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

15.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

21.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

18.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.6 years

male

73.2 years

total population

75.8 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

100% (2019)

male

100%

total population

100%

Major urban areas - population

2.603 million TASHKENT (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

29.5 years

male

27.9 years

total

28.7 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.7 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Uzbekistani

noun

Uzbekistani

Net migration rate

-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.6% (2016)

Physicians density

2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

31,360,836 (2023 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

1.61% (2023 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 (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2021)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.76 male(s)/female

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.1% (2020 est.)

male

34% (2020 est.)

total

17.6% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.92 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

50.5% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

16.2%

male

15.8%

total

16% (2021 est.)

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 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

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 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

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 (since 14 December 2016)

election results

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

Judicial branch

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

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; a constitutional referendum passed in April 2023 included criminal code reforms

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); 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 as of May 2023 (90 members) - men 68, women 22, percent of women 24.4%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 as of May 2023 (140 members) - men 93, women, 47, percent of women 33.6%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 30%

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

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

total World Heritage Sites

6 (5 cultural, 1 natural)

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 ABDUKHALIMOV]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

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

30.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$16.346 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$16.197 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

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

Current account balance 2019

-$3.366 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$3.007 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$4.825 billion (2021 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

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

5,113.879 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

8,069.606 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

8,836.788 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

10,054.261 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

10,609.464 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$16.993 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$14.532 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$16.399 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

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 2003

36.8 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.6% (2003)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Imports

Imports 2019

$26.551 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

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

Imports 2021

$27.774 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

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

8.37% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

14.53% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

12.87% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

10.85% (2021 est.)

note

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

Labor force

14.094 million (2021 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) 2019

$246.753 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$251.408 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$270.062 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

5.71% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

1.89% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

7.42% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$7,300 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$7,300 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$7,700 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$29.291 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$34.903 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$35.375 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.87% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: official data; another 20% are underemployed

Unemployment rate 2019

5.85% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

7.04% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

7.16% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

16.2%

male

15.8%

total

16% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

7.816 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

83.619 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

11.53 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

102.965 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

5.668 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

2.995 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

3.98 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

1.375 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

57,605,687,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

2.067 billion kWh (2019 est.)

imports

3.379 billion kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

16.042 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.858 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

99.7% (2021)

electrification - total population

99.9% (2020)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

88.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

11.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

57.709 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

43,882,007,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

13,283,524,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

46,968,227,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

1,840,592,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

24,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

594 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

98,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

5,200 bbl/day (2021 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 (2020 est.)

total

4,820,009 (2020 est.)

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 (2019)

Internet country code

.uz

Internet users

percent of population

77% (2021 est.)

total

26.18 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line nearly 17 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity of 100 per 100 persons (2021)

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; the mobile market is expected to reach 100% penetration in 2023 a 50% increase in the last five years (2022)

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

17 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

3,470,097 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

100 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

35 million (2021 est.)

Airports

53 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

civil airports

9

joint use (civil-military) airports

1

military airports

3

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

other airports

20

total

33

Airports - with unpaved runways

20

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

UK

National air transport system

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)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

river port(s)

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Railways

broad gauge

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

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 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 1995the Army has up to 15 combat brigades, mostly motorized or mechanized infantry, as well as air assault, artillery, special forces, and tank brigades; the Air Force received a considerable number of aircraft inherited from the Soviet Union in the 1990s and continues to have an inventory estimated to be more than 100 combat aircraft and combat helicopters Uzbekistan 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)

Military and security forces

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

Military and security service personnel strengths

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

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, Russia has been the leading supplier of arms, followed by China (2023)

Military expenditures

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.)

Military service age and obligation

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

Disputes - international

Uzbekistan-Afghanistan: none identified Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan: field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; disputed territory is held by Uzbekistan, but the overwhelming majority of residents are ethnic Kazakhs; the two countries agreed on draft final demarcation documents in March 2022 and signed an agreement demarcating their border in December 2022  Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan: border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas; in 2021, border talks between Uzbek and Kyrgyz officials raised the possibility of a land swap arrangement, but a deal was not finalized Uzbekistan-Tajikistan: none identified Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan: prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan created water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; in 2021, the two countries reached an agreement to create a joint intergovernmental commission to oversee water management

Illicit drugs

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 and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

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

stateless persons

31,829 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Agency for Space Research and Technology (Uzbekcosmos; established 2019) (2023)

Space program overview

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 and commercial companies, including those of China, France, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, and South Korea (2023)

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 Appendix S

Terrorist group(s)

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 Appendix-T

Air pollutants

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.)

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

0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

48.87 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

54.36 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

2.13 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

2.41 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

50.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4 million tons (2016 est.)