ARCHIVE // UZ // 2023
Uzbekistan
2023 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 4,820,009 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2020 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 (2019)
Internet country code
[time series]
.uz
Internet users
[time series]
total: 26.18 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 77% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
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) domestic: fixed-line nearly 17 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity of 100 per 100 persons (2021) 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
[time series]
total subscriptions: 3,470,097 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2021 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 35 million (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
milk, wheat, potatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, tomatoes, vegetables, grapes, onions, watermelons
Average household expenditures
[time series]
on food: 30.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $16.197 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $16.346 billion (2019 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) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Current account balance
[time series]
-$4.825 billion (2021 est.) -$3.007 billion (2020 est.) -$3.366 billion (2019 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Economic overview
[time series]
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
[time series]
Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 10,609.464 (2021 est.) 10,054.261 (2020 est.) 8,836.788 (2019 est.) 8,069.606 (2018 est.) 5,113.879 (2017 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$16.399 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $14.532 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $16.993 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - commodities
[time series]
gold, natural gas, cotton fibers, copper, ethylene polymers (2019)
Exports - partners
[time series]
Switzerland 19%, United Kingdom 17%, Russia 15%, China 14%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 8%, Kyrgyzstan 5% (2019)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$57.789 billion (2019 est.)
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.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
[time series]
36.8 (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)
Imports
[time series]
$27.774 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $22.56 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $26.551 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - commodities
[time series]
cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, aircraft, construction vehicles (2019)
Imports - partners
[time series]
China 23%, Russia 18%, South Korea 11%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2019)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
8.37% (2021 est.)
Industries
[time series]
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
10.85% (2021 est.) 12.87% (2020 est.) 14.53% (2019 est.) note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012
Labor force
[time series]
14.094 million (2021 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 25.9% industry: 13.2% services: 60.9% (2012 est.)
Population below poverty line
[time series]
14.1% (2013 est.)
Public debt
[time series]
24.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 10.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$270.062 billion (2021 est.) $251.408 billion (2020 est.) $246.753 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
7.42% (2021 est.) 1.89% (2020 est.) 5.71% (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$7,700 (2021 est.) $7,300 (2020 est.) $7,300 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$35.375 billion (31 December 2021 est.) $34.903 billion (31 December 2020 est.) $29.291 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
14.87% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
7.16% (2021 est.) 7.04% (2020 est.) 5.85% (2019 est.) note: official data; another 20% are underemployed
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 16% (2021 est.) male: 15.8% female: 16.2%
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions
[time series]
102.965 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.816 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 11.53 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from consumed natural gas: 83.619 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Coal
[time series]
production: 3.98 million metric tons (2020 est.) consumption: 5.668 million metric tons (2020 est.) exports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.) imports: 2.995 million metric tons (2020 est.) proven reserves: 1.375 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Electricity
[time series]
installed generating capacity: 16.042 million kW (2020 est.) consumption: 57,605,687,000 kWh (2019 est.) exports: 2.067 billion kWh (2019 est.) imports: 3.379 billion kWh (2019 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.858 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 99.9% (2020) electrification - urban areas: 100% (2021) electrification - rural areas: 99.7% (2021)
Electricity generation sources
[time series]
fossil fuels: 88.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) hydroelectricity: 11.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
[time series]
57.709 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Natural gas
[time series]
production: 46,968,227,000 cubic meters (2020 est.) consumption: 43,882,007,000 cubic meters (2019 est.) exports: 13,283,524,000 cubic meters (2019 est.) imports: 0 cubic meters (2020 est.) proven reserves: 1,840,592,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
[time series]
total petroleum production: 5,200 bbl/day (2021 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 98,200 bbl/day (2019 est.) 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 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.)
Environment
Air pollutants
[time series]
particulate matter emissions: 40.98 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 91.81 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 96.16 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
[time series]
mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
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, 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
[time series]
agricultural land: 62.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.) forest: 7.7% (2018 est.) other: 29.7% (2018 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
[time series]
fresh water lake(s): Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up
Major rivers (by length in km)
[time series]
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 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
[time series]
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Revenue from coal
[time series]
0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
[time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
48.87 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 2.41 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 2.13 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 54.36 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 50.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4 million tons (2016 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
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
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]
highest point: Xazrat Sulton Tog' 4,643 m lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m
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]
37,320 sq km (2020)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 6,893 km border countries (5): Afghanistan 144 km; Kazakhstan 2,330 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,314 km; Tajikistan 1,312 km; Turkmenistan 1,793 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 62.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.) forest: 7.7% (2018 est.) other: 29.7% (2018 est.)
Location
[time series]
Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan
Major lakes (area sq km)
[time series]
fresh water lake(s): Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up
Major rivers (by length in km)
[time series]
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 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
[time series]
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
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 Zaravshan; 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 2023 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
[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 Jonathan HENICK (since 14 October 2022) embassy: 3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent mailing address: 7110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC 20521-7110 telephone: [998] 78-120-5450 FAX: [998] 78-120-6335 email address and website: ACSTashkent@state.gov https://uz.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Furqat SIDIKOV (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 email address and website: info.washington@mfa.uz https://www.uzbekistan.org/ consulate(s) general: New York
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 14 December 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 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 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 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%
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, 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
[time series]
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
[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; a constitutional referendum passed in April 2023 included criminal code reforms
Legislative branch
[time series]
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 100 Legislative 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) 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) 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% 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 heritage
[time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 6 (5 cultural, 1 natural) 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)
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) [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
[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, 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.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
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 1995 the 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
[time series]
Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, police (2023) 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
[time series]
information varies; approximately 50-60,000 active-duty troops, including 10-15,000 Air Force (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
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
[time series]
2.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2017 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 2.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
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: Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
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
[time series]
total: 2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
22.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Child marriage
[time series]
women married by age 15: 0.2% women married by age 18: 3.4% (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
1.8% (2021)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
NA
Current health expenditure
[time series]
6.8% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
[time series]
68.6% (2023 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 54 youth dependency ratio: 46.3 elderly dependency ratio: 7.2 potential support ratio: 13 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 99.6% of population rural: 96.1% of population total: 97.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population rural: 3.9% of population total: 2.2% of population (2020 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
4.9% of GDP (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
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
[time series]
1.41 (2023 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
4 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.) male: 21.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
[time series]
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: in the semi-autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 75.8 years (2023 est.) male: 73.2 years female: 78.6 years
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2019)
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
2.603 million TASHKENT (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
30 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 28.7 years (2023 est.) male: 27.9 years female: 29.5 years
Mother's mean age at first birth
[time series]
23.7 years (2019 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Uzbekistani adjective: Uzbekistani
Net migration rate
[time series]
-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 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]
31,360,836 (2023 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]
1.61% (2023 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 (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2021)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Tobacco use
[time series]
total: 17.6% (2020 est.) male: 34% (2020 est.) female: 1.1% (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
2.92 children born/woman (2023 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 50.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 16% (2021 est.) male: 15.8% female: 16.2%
Space
Space agency/agencies
[time series]
Agency for Space Research and Technology (Uzbekcosmos; established 2019) (2023)
Space program overview
[time series]
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: 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
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
[time series]
Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K) 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
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
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
[time series]
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
[time series]
refugees (country of origin): 13,031 (Afghanistan) (mid-year 2022) stateless persons: 31,829 (2022)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
53 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
33 civil airports: 9 military airports: 3 joint use (civil-military) airports: 1 other airports: 20 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.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
20 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
[time series]
UK
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 (2018) mt-km
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 (2018) 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified)
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)