Uzbekistan

.uz

11,832 (2007)

1.7 million (2006)

AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 3 (2006)

general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated; the state-owned telecom company, Uzbektelecom, is using a US$110 million loan from the Japanese government to improve main line services; mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber base doubling in 2005 to 1.1 million; there are 6 main cellular providers currently in operation international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications (2006)

1.793 million (2005)

1.1 million (2005)

8 (includes 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals) (2006)

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

revenues: $5.288 billion expenditures: $5.206 billion (2006 est.)

Uzbekistani soum (UZS)

$2.767 billion (2006 est.)

$4.767 billion (2006 est.)

36.8 (2003)

$172.3 million from the US (2005)

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter and fifth largest producer; it relies heavily on cotton production as the major source of export earnings. Other major export earners include gold, natural gas, and oil. Following independence in September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. 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. The Central Bank often delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Potential investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil industry may boost growth prospects. In November 2005, Russian President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an "alliance," which included provisions for economic and business cooperation. Russian businesses have shown increased interest in Uzbekistan, especially in mining, telecom, and oil and gas. In December 2005, the Russians opened a "Trade House" to support and develop Russian-Uzbek business and economic ties. In 2006, Uzbekistan took steps to rejoin the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Community (EurASEC), both organizations dominated by Russia. Uzbek authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek tax laws and have frozen their assets. US firms have not made major investments in Uzbekistan in the last 5 years.

47 billion kWh (2006 est.)

6.8 billion kWh (2006)

10.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)

49 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Uzbekistani soum per US dollar - 1,219.8 (2006), 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004), 771.029 (2003), 423.832 (2002)

$5.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

cotton, gold, energy products, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles

Russia 23.7%, Poland 11.7%, China 10.4%, Turkey 7.7%, Kazakhstan 5.9%, Ukraine 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.3% (2006)

calendar year

$10.83 billion (2006 est.)

$55.75 billion (2006 est.)

agriculture: 27.6% industry: 29.4% services: 43% (2006 est.)

$2,000 (2006 est.)

7.3% (2006 est.)

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)

$3.77 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals

Russia 27.8%, South Korea 15.2%, China 10.4%, Kazakhstan 7.3%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 4.8%, Turkey 4.5% (2006)

10.8% (2006 est.)

textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold, petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

19.8% officially, but 38% based on analysis of consumer prices (2006 est.)

14.43 million (2006 est.)

agriculture: 44% industry: 20% services: 36% (1995)

$36.89 million (2005)

48.4 billion cu m (2006 est.)

12.5 billion cu m (2006 est.)

NA

62.5 billion cu m (2006 est.)

1.798 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

148,000 bbl/day (2004)

NA bbl/day

NA

142,000 bbl/day (2004)

594 million bbl (1 January 2006)

33% (2004 est.)

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

$4.3 billion (2006 est.)

$NA

$NA

3% officially by the Ministry of Labor, plus another 20% underemployed (2006)

total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km

slightly larger than California

mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

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

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

shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT

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

41 00 N, 64 00 E

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

42,810 sq km (2003)

total: 6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

arable land: 10.51% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 88.73% (2005)

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Asia

none (doubly landlocked)

NA

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

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

12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

name: Tashkent (Toshkent) geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

adopted 8 December 1992

conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi local short form: Ozbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard B. NORLAND embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450 FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general: New York

chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11 December 2003) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

AsDB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be held December 2009) 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 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9, unaffiliated 10 note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TASHMUHAMMEDOVA]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Hurshid DOSMUHAMMEDOV]; Fidokorlar National Democratic Party (Self-Sacrificers) [Ahtam TURSUNOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHADMANOV; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV]

Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Committee for the Protection of Human Rights [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasila INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigora KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Talib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Organization of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum; Sunshine Coalition [Sanjar UMAROV, chairman]

18 years of age; universal

Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up 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 poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.

males age 18-49: 6,340,220 females age 18-49: 6,432,072 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49: 4,609,621 females age 18-49: 5,383,233 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49: 324,722 females age 18-49: 317,062 (2005 est.)

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

2% (2005 est.)

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

0-14 years: 32.4% (male 4,587,338/female 4,416,014) 15-64 years: 62.8% (male 8,636,226/female 8,817,633) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 543,417/female 779,431) (2007 est.)

26.46 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

less than 500 (2003 est.)

11,000 (2003 est.)

total: 68.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 73.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

total population: 64.98 years male: 61.57 years female: 68.56 years (2007 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.3% male: 99.6% female: 99% (2003 est.)

total: 22.9 years male: 22.3 years female: 23.5 years (2007 est.)

noun: Uzbekistani adjective: Uzbekistani

-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

27,780,059 (July 2007 est.)

1.732% (2007 est.)

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

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.979 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.697 male(s)/female total population: 0.982 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

2.88 children born/woman (2007 est.)

prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates 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

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 (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan) IDPs: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages near Tajikistan border) (2006)

current situation: Uzbekistan is a source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women trafficked to Asia and the Middle East for the purpose of sexual exploitation; women from other Central Asian countries and China are trafficked through Uzbekistan; men are trafficked for purposes of forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries to Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan; men and women are also trafficked within the country tier rating: Tier 3 - Uzbekistan is placed on Tier 3 because it failed to fulfill commitments by the country to take additional steps during 2005, including the adoption of comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation, criminal code amendments to raise trafficking penalties, support to the country's first trafficking shelter, and approval of a national action plan

54 (2007)

total: 33 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 4 (2007)

total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2007)

gas 9,594 km; oil 868 km (2006)

Termiz (Amu Darya)

total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2006)

total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km unpaved: 10,363 km (1999)

1,100 km (2006)