Uzbekistan

§1. Uzbekistan Introduction

Background:
  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.

§2. Uzbekistan Geography

Location:
  Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 447,400 km²
  land: 425,400 km²
  water: 22,000 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  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

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

Maritime claims:
  none (doubly landlocked)

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

Terrain:
  mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely
  irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo),
  and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan
  and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

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

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

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

Irrigated land:
  42,810 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  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

Environment - international agreements:
  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

Geography - note:
  along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries
  in the world

§3. Uzbekistan People

Population:
  27,307,134 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.9% (male 4,572,721/female 4,403,405)
  15-64 years: 62.3% (male 8,420,174/female 8,594,478)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 539,336/female 777,020) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.7 years
  male: 22 years
  female: 23.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.7% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.36 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 69.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.58 years
  male: 61.19 years
  female: 68.14 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  11,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Uzbekistani
  adjective: Uzbekistani

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

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

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

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

§4. Uzbekistan Government

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

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

Capital:
  Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions:
  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)

Independence:
  1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:
  evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  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
    (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%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper House or
  Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils to
  serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by the president) and a Lower
  House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats; 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

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMMADOVA,
  chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP
  [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or
  LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP
  (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first secretary]; Self-
  Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV,
  chief]; note - Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity) Movement
  [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad
  SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society
  [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara
  KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman];
  Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV,
  chairman]; Mazlum [leader NA]; Sunshine Coalition [Sanjar UMAROV, chairman]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL
  embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 700093
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
  FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:
  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

§5. Uzbekistan Economy

Economy - overview:
  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 the obligations of Article
  VIII under the International Monetary Fund (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 would increase economic growth prospects. In November 2005,
  Russian President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an
  "alliance" treaty, 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $53.01 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $10.12 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $2,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 38%
  industry: 26.3%
  services: 35.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  14.26 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  0.7% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  28% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 22% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  26.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.8% (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.815 billion
  expenditures: $2.917 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  39% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.7% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  46.52 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  48.45 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  5.36 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  10.55 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  152,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
  120,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  600 million bbl (1 January 2005)

Natural gas - production:
  55.8 billion m³ (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:
  49.3 billion m³ (2004)

Natural gas - exports:
  6.5 billion m³ (2004)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.875 trillion m³ (1 January 2005)

Current account balance:
  $831.9 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers, ferrous
  metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998)

Exports - partners:
  Russia 22%, China 14.7%, Turkey 6.4%, Tajikistan 6.1%, Kazakhstan 4.2%,
  Bangladesh 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals (1998)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 26.8%, South Korea 12.6%, US 8%, Germany 7.7%, Kazakhstan 6.3%,
  China 5.8%, Turkey 5.1%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.123 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.184 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $91.6 million from the US (2005)

Currency (code):
  Uzbekistani soum (UZS)

Exchange rates:
  Uzbekistani soum per US dollar - 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004), 771.029
  (2002), 423.832 (2002), 236.61 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Uzbekistan Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,717,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  544,100 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of
    modernization
  domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
    technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
    Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized
    countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in
    operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile
    Communication), one D- AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System),
    and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
  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; Inmarsat also provides an international connection,
    albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster
  in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003)

Internet country code:
  .uz

Internet hosts:
  7,124 (2005)

Internet users:
  880,000 (2005)

§7. Uzbekistan Transportation

Airports:
  79 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  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 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 46
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  under 914 m: 42 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 3,950 km
  broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2004)

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

Waterways:
  1,100 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:
  Termiz (Amu Darya)

§8. Uzbekistan Military

Military branches:
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

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

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,340,220 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,609,621 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 324,722 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (FY97)

§9. Uzbekistan Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
  creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation
  with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; border delimitation of
  130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around
  enclaves and other areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan) 5,238 (Afghanistan)
  IDPs: 3,000 (forced population transfers by government from villages near
    Tajikistan border) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
  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


<Factbook 2006>
