Introduction
Background
Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia. The country has a diverse economy and a relatively young population. Russia conquered and united the disparate territories of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to the overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, leaving the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half-dry. Independent since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the country has diversified agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base, although cotton remains a major part of its economy. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islom KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms. MIRZIYOYEV was reelected in October 2021 with 80% of the vote.
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Geography
Location
Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan
Geographic coordinates
41 00 N, 64 00 E
Map references
Asia
Area - comparative
about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California
Land boundaries
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
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 mid-latitude 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 Zaravshan; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Elevation
highest point: Xazrat Sulton Tog' 4,643 m
lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m
Natural resources
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Land use
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.)
Irrigated land
37,320 sq km (2020)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up
Major rivers (by length in km)
Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river mouth (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan) - 2,620 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Population distribution
most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, while the central and western deserts are sparsely populated
Natural hazards
earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts
Geography - note
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Uzbekistani
adjective: Uzbekistani
Ethnic groups
Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.9% (2017 est.)
Languages
Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
major-language sample(s):
Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
note: in the semi-autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status
Religions
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Age structure
0-14 years: 22.48% (male 3,612,997/female 3,437,866)
15-64 years: 70.64% (male 11,055,763/female 11,097,841)
65 years and over: 6.88% (2023 est.) (male 933,134/female 1,223,235)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 54
youth dependency ratio: 46.3
elderly dependency ratio: 7.2
potential support ratio: 13 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 28.7 years (2023 est.)
male: 27.9 years
female: 29.5 years
comparison ranking: total 145
Population distribution
most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, while the central and western deserts are sparsely populated
Urbanization
urban population: 50.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.603 million TASHKENT (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
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.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
23.7 years (2019 est.)
Infant mortality rate
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
comparison ranking: total 83
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.8 years (2023 est.)
male: 73.2 years
female: 78.6 years
comparison ranking: total population 118
Gross reproduction rate
1.41 (2023 est.)
Drinking water source
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.)
Current health expenditure
6.8% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density
4 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Sanitation facility access
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.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
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.)
comparison ranking: total 124
Tobacco use
total: 17.6% (2020 est.)
male: 34% (2020 est.)
female: 1.1% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 96
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
68.6% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 0.2%
women married by age 18: 3.4% (2022 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2021)
Environment
Environment - current issues
shrinkage of the Aral Sea has resulted in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification and respiratory health problems; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
Land use
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.)
Urbanization
urban population: 50.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
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.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4 million tons (2016 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up
Major rivers (by length in km)
Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river mouth (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan) - 2,620 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 2.41 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 2.13 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 54.36 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
48.87 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
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"
Government type
presidential republic; highly authoritarian
Capital
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"
Administrative divisions
12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati [Bukhara Province], Farg'ona Viloyati [Fergana Province], Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati [Samarkand Province], Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Tashkent Province], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence
1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Constitution
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
Legal system
civil law system; note - in early 2020, the president signed an amendment to the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility; a constitutional referendum passed in April 2023 included criminal code reforms
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Uzbekistan
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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%
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of:
Senate or Senat (100 seats); 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms); note - amendments to the constitution approved in April 2023 call for the reduction of Senate seats to 65 from 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
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and economic sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges)
judge selection and term of office: judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for a single 10-year term; the court chairman and deputies appointed for 10-year terms without the right to reelection. (Article 132 of the constitution)
subordinate courts: regional, district, city, and town courts
Political parties and leaders
Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Narzullo OBLOMURODOV]
Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Bahrom ABDUKHALIMOV]
Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Aktam HAITOV]
National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Alisher QODIROV]
People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP [Ulugbek Ilyosovich INOYATOV] (formerly Communist Party)
International organization participation
ADB, CICA, CIS, EAEU (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EEU (observer), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
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/
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a vertical, white crescent moon (closed side to the hoist) and 12 white, five-pointed stars shifted to the hoist on the top band; blue is the color of the Turkic peoples and of the sky, white signifies peace and the striving for purity in thoughts and deeds, while green represents nature and is the color of Islam; the red stripes are the vital force of all living organisms that links good and pure ideas with the eternal sky and with deeds on earth; the crescent represents Islam and the 12 stars the months and constellations of the Uzbek calendar
National symbol(s)
khumo (mythical bird); national colors: blue, white, red, green
National anthem
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
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)
Economy
Economic overview
lower middle-income Central Asian economy; CIS Free Trade Area member but no intention of EAEU membership; key natural gas, cotton, and gold exporter; landlocked and environmentally fragile; positive growth through COVID-19, but poverty increasing
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$270.062 billion (2021 est.)
$251.408 billion (2020 est.)
$246.753 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 60
Real GDP per capita
$7,700 (2021 est.)
$7,300 (2020 est.)
$7,300 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 159
GDP (official exchange rate)
$57.789 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
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
comparison ranking: 22
Credit ratings
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.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 17.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 33.7% (2017 est.)
services: 48.5% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 186; industry 51; agriculture 55
GDP - composition, by end use
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.)
Agricultural products
milk, wheat, potatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, tomatoes, vegetables, grapes, onions, watermelons
Industries
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals
Unemployment rate
7.16% (2021 est.)
7.04% (2020 est.)
5.85% (2019 est.)
note: official data; another 20% are underemployed
comparison ranking: 110
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 16% (2021 est.)
male: 15.8%
female: 16.2%
comparison ranking: total 108
Population below poverty line
14.1% (2013 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food: 30.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)
Budget
revenues: $16.197 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $16.346 billion (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$4.825 billion (2021 est.)
-$3.007 billion (2020 est.)
-$3.366 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 188
Exports
$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
comparison ranking: 90
Exports - partners
Switzerland 19%, United Kingdom 17%, Russia 15%, China 14%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 8%, Kyrgyzstan 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
gold, natural gas, cotton fibers, copper, ethylene polymers (2019)
Imports
$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
comparison ranking: 76
Imports - partners
China 23%, Russia 18%, South Korea 11%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, aircraft, construction vehicles (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$35.375 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$34.903 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$29.291 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 55
Debt - external
$16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 101
Exchange rates
Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
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.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 99.9% (2020)
electrification - urban areas: 100% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 99.7% (2021)
Electricity
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.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 53; transmission/distribution losses 55; imports 48; exports 50; consumption 47
Electricity generation sources
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.)
Coal
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.)
Petroleum
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.)
Natural gas
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.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
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.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 42
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 3,470,097 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 36
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 35 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 43
Telecommunication systems
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
Broadcast media
the government controls media; 17 state-owned broadcasters - 13 TV and 4 radio - provide service to virtually the entire country; about 20 privately owned TV stations, overseen by local officials, broadcast to local markets; privately owned TV stations are required to lease transmitters from the government-owned Republic TV and Radio Industry Corporation; in 2019, the Uzbek Agency for Press and Information was reorganized into the Agency of Information and Mass Communications and became part of the Uzbek Presidential Administration (2019)
Internet users
total: 26.18 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 77% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 34
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 4,820,009 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 33
Transportation
National air transport system
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
Airports - with paved runways
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
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
Pipelines
13,700 km gas, 944 km oil (2016)
Railways
total: 4,642 km (2018)
broad gauge: 4,642 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified)
comparison ranking: total 41
Roadways
total: 86,496 km (2000)
paved: 75,511 km (2000)
unpaved: 10,985 km (2000)
comparison ranking: total 56
Ports and terminals
river port(s): Termiz (Amu Darya)
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard
Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, police (2023)
note: 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 expenditures
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.)
comparison ranking: 33
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 50-60,000 active-duty troops, including 10-15,000 Air Force (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, Russia has been the leading supplier of arms, followed by China (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 12-month conscript service obligation for men (those conscripted have the option of paying for a shorter service of 1 month while remaining in the reserves until the age of 27) (2023)
note: Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions
Military - note
the military’s primary concerns and responsibilities are border security, ensuring the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, instability in neighboring countries, and terrorism; the military is equipped largely with Soviet-era arms and its units are based on Soviet Army formations that were in the territory of Uzbekistan when the USSR collapsed in 1991; the armed forces were established in January 1992 when Uzbekistan assumed jurisdiction over all former Soviet ground, air, and air defense units, formations, and installations then deployed on its soil; the building hosting the headquarters for the ex-Soviet Turkestan Military District became the headquarters for the Uzbek armed forces; all former Soviet troops departed Uzbekistan by 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)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Agency for Space Research and Technology (Uzbekcosmos; established 2019) (2023)
Space program overview
has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites and developing the country’s space industry; Uzbekcosmos largely sets state policy and shapes the strategic direction, development, and use of the country’s space-related industries and technologies in key sectors, including cartography, environmental and disaster monitoring, land use, resource management, and telecommunications; also has an astronomy program; cooperates with foreign space agencies and commercial companies, including those of China, France, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, and South Korea (2023)
note: 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)
Terrorist group(s): 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
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
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 13,031 (Afghanistan) (mid-year 2022)
stateless persons: 31,829 (2022)
Illicit drugs
a transit country for Afghan heroin, opium, and hashish destined to Kazakhstan, Russia, and Europe; cannabis and opium poppy are grown domestically for personal use and sale