Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 4,123,508 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2018 est.)
Broadcast media [time series]
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 [time series]
.uz
Internet users [time series]
total: 15,705,402 | percent of population: 52.31% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systems [time series]
general assessment: digital exchanges in large cities and in rural areas; increased investment in infrastructure and growing subscriber base; fixed-line is underdeveloped due to preeminence of mobile market; introduction of prepaid Internet has contributed to home Internet usage; increase in mobile broadband penetration yet still early stages; Wi-Fi hotspot in the city of Tashkent in the future (2020) | 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) | 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: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 3,262,896 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10.77 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 30,662,740 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101.21 (2019 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock
Budget [time series]
revenues: 15.22 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 15.08 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Credit ratings [time series]
Fitch rating: BB- (2018) | Moody's rating: B1 (2019) | Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2018)
Current account balance [time series]
$1.713 billion (2017 est.) | $384 million (2016 est.)
Debt - external [time series]
$16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores [time series]
58.2 (2020)
Economic overview [time series]
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 [time series]
Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - | 3,906.1 (2017 est.) | 2,966.6 (2016 est.) | 2,966.6 (2015 est.) | 2,569.6 (2014 est.) | 2,311.4 (2013 est.)
Exports [time series]
$11.48 billion (2017 est.) | $11.2 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
energy products, cotton, gold, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and nonferrous metals, textiles, foodstuffs, machinery, automobiles
Exports - partners [time series]
Switzerland 38.7%, China 15.5%, Russia 10.7%, Turkey 8.6%, Kazakhstan 7.7%, Afghanistan 4.7% (2017)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$57.789 billion (2019 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity) - real) [time series]
$223 billion (2017 est.) | $211.8 billion (2016 est.) | $196.5 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 59.5% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 16.3% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 25.3% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 3% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 19% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -20% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 17.9% (2017 est.) | industry: 33.7% (2017 est.) | services: 48.5% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$6,900 (2017 est.) | $6,700 (2016 est.) | $6,300 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]
5.3% (2017 est.) | 7.8% (2016 est.) | 7.9% (2015 est.)
Gross national saving [time series]
32.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 25.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 27.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.8% | highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)
Imports [time series]
$11.42 billion (2017 est.) | $10.92 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and nonferrous metals
Imports - partners [time series]
China 23.7%, Russia 22.5%, Kazakhstan 10.7%, South Korea 9.8%, Turkey 5.8%, Germany 5.6% (2017)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
4.5% (2017 est.)
Industries [time series]
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
12.5% (2017 est.) | 8% (2016 est.) | note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012
Labor force [time series]
13.273 million (2018 est.)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 25.9% | industry: 13.2% | services: 60.9% (2012 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
14% (2016 est.)
Public debt [time series]
24.3% of GDP (2017 est.) | 10.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$16 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
31.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
5% (2017 est.) | 5.1% (2016 est.) | note: official data; another 20% are underemployed
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
95.58 million Mt (2017 est.)
Crude oil - exports [time series]
27,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports [time series]
420 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - production [time series]
41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
594 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity - consumption [time series]
49.07 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports [time series]
13 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
10.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
12.96 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
55.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
43.07 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports [time series]
9.401 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
52.1 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
60,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
3,977 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
61,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Geography
total: 447,400 sq km | land: 425,400 sq km | water: 22,000 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Central Asia :: Uzbekistan Print Image Description about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California
Climate [time series]
mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
Coastline [time series]
0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline
Elevation [time series]
lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m | highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
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
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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 [time series]
41 00 N, 64 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world
Irrigated land [time series]
42,150 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 6,893 km | border countries (5): Afghanistan 144 km, Kazakhstan 2330 km, Kyrgyzstan 1314 km, Tajikistan 1312 km, Turkmenistan 1793 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 62.6% (2011 est.) | arable land: 10.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.8% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 51.7% (2011 est.) | forest: 7.7% (2011 est.) | other: 29.7% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan
Map references [time series]
Asia
Maritime claims [time series]
none (doubly landlocked)
Natural hazards [time series]
earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts
Natural resources [time series]
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Population distribution [time series]
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 [time series]
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
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Capital [time series]
name: Tashkent (Toshkent) | geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 69 15 E | time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | etymology: "tash" means "stone" and "kent" means "city" in Turkic languages, so the name simply denotes "stone city"
Citizenship [time series]
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 [time series]
history: several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992 | 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 (2018)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan | conventional short form: Uzbekistan | local long form: O'zbekiston Respublikasi | local short form: O'zbekiston | former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic | 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"
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel ROSENBLUM (since 24 May 2019) | telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450 | embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093 | mailing address: use embassy street address | FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Javlon VAHOBOV (since 29 November 2017) | chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 | telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 | FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 | consulate(s) general: New York
Executive branch [time series]
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) | head of government: Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Transport Achilbay RAMATOV (since 15 December 2016) | cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis) | 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 | election results: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Hotamjon KETMONOV (NDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURODOV (Milliy Tiklanish/National Revival) 2.4%, other 1.8%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
presidential republic; highly authoritarian
Independence [time series]
1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation [time series]
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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Judicial branch [time series]
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 [time series]
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 [time series]
description: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of: Senate (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) | elections: Senate - last held 13-14 January 2015 (next to be held in 2020) Legislative Chamber - last held on 22 December 2019 and 5 January 2020 (next to be held in December 2024) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 83, women 17, percent of women 17% 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 - NA | note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan) | lyrics/music: Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV | 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 [time series]
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
National symbol(s) [time series]
khumo (mythical bird); national colors: blue, white, red, green
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Boriy ALIKHANOV] Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV] 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) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV] People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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, Islam 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.
Military and Security
Military and security forces [time series]
Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops (2019)
Military and security service personnel strengths [time series]
assessments for the size of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan vary; approximately 55,000 total active troops (est. 45,000 Army; est. 10,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2019 est.)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions [time series]
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 (2019 est.)
Military expenditures [time series]
4% of GDP (2018) | 3.5% of GDP (2010)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
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 (2016)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
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.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Central Asia :: Uzbekistan Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Uzbekistan. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
Birth rate [time series]
16.1 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
2.9% (2017)
Current health expenditure (Current Health Expenditure) [time series]
6.4% (2017)
Death rate [time series]
5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 50.6 | youth dependency ratio: 43.4 | elderly dependency ratio: 7.2 | potential support ratio: 13.9 (2020 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population | rural: 96.1% of population | total: 97.8% of population | unimproved: urban: 0% of population | rural: 3.9% of population | total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
5.3% of GDP (2017)
Ethnic groups [time series]
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 [time series]
0.2% (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
<1000 (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
50,000 (2019 est.)
Hospital bed density [time series]
4 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)
Languages [time series]
Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% | note: in the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 74.8 years | male: 71.7 years | female: 78 years (2020 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 100% | male: 100% | female: 100% (2016)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
2.517 million TASHKENT (capital) (2020)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 30.1 years | male: 29.4 years | female: 30.7 years (2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
23.8 years (2017 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Uzbekistani | adjective: Uzbekistani
Net migration rate [time series]
-1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
16.6% (2016)
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Population [time series]
30,565,411 (July 2020 est.)
Population distribution [time series]
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 [time series]
0.88% (2020 est.)
Religions [time series]
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Sanitation facility access [time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 100% of population | unimproved: urban: 0% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 13 years | male: 13 years | female: 12 years (2019)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 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 | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.74 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 50.4% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: 1.28% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s) [time series]
Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (2019) | 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
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
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 [time series]
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 [time series]
stateless persons: 97,346 (2019)
Trafficking in persons [time series]
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)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
53 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 33 (2013) | over 3,047 m: 6 (2013) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 (2013) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013) | under 914 m: 4 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 20 (2013) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013) | under 914 m: 18 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
UK (2016)
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 34 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,056,558 (2018) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 89.43 million mt-km (2018)
Pipelines [time series]
13,700 km gas, 944 km oil (2016)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
river port(s): Termiz (Amu Darya)
Railways [time series]
total: 4,642 km (2018) | broad gauge: 4,642 km 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified) (2018)
Roadways [time series]
total: 86,496 km (2000) | paved: 75,511 km (2000) | unpaved: 10,985 km (2000)
Waterways [time series]
1,100 km (2012)