CIA - The World Factbook

Russia conquered the territory of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Boshevik 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 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.

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

slightly larger than California

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

none (doubly landlocked)

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

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

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

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

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

27,865,738 (July 2010 est.)

17.51 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

5.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

-2.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

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

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

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

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

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 [Karakalpakstan]* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Tashkent province], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)

1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

adopted 8 December 1992

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

18 years of age; universal

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members to serve five-year terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber (150 seats; 135 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, while 15 spots reserved for the new Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan)

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

Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Ismoil SAIFNAZAROV]; Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan [Boriy ALIXONOV, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Muhammadjon AHMADJONOV]; National Rebirth Party (Milliy Tiklanish) [Ahtam TURSUNOV]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Latif GULOMOV]

there are no significant opposition political parties or pressure groups operating in Uzbekistan

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

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; 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

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country; 11% of the land is intensely cultivated, in irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of the population lives in densely populated rural communities. Export of hydrocarbons, including natural gas and petroleum, provided about 40% of foreign exchange earnings in 2009. Other major export earners include gold and cotton. Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter and fifth largest producer; it has come under increasing international criticism for the use of child labor in its annual cotton harvest. Following independence in September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted Article VIII obligations under the IMF, providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Potential investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil industry, as well as increased cooperation with South Korea in the realm of civil aviation, may boost growth prospects. In November 2005, Russian President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an "alliance," which included provisions for economic and business cooperation. Russian businesses have shown increased interest in Uzbekistan, especially in mining, telecom, and oil and gas. In 2006, Uzbekistan took steps to rejoin the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Community (EurASEC), which it subsequently left in 2008, both organizations dominated by Russia. In the past Uzbek authorities had accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek tax laws and have frozen their assets, but no new expropriations occurred in 2008-09. Instead, the Uzbek Government has actively courted several major U.S. and international corporations, offering attractive financing and tax advantages, and has landed a significant US investment in the automotive industry. Although growth slowed in 2009, Uzbekistan has seen few other effects from the global economic downturn, primarily due to its relative isolation from the global financial markets.

$77.55 billion (2009 est.)

$72.68 billion (2008 est.)

$66.68 billion (2007 est.)

$30.68 billion (2009 est.)

15.65 million (2009 est.)

11.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

10.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$715.3 million (31 December 2006)

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

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

44.8 billion kWh (2009 est.)

40.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)

11.52 billion kWh (2009 est.)

11.44 billion kWh (2009 est.)

83,820 bbl/day (2008 est.)

148,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

6,104 bbl/day (2007 est.)

35,810 bbl/day (2007 est.)

594 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

67.6 billion cu m (2008 est.)

52.6 billion cu m (2008 est.)

15 billion cu m (2008 est.)

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$4.505 billion (2009 est.)

$6.257 billion (2008 est.)

$9.47 billion (2009 est.)

$10.37 billion (2008 est.)

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

Ukraine 27.4%, Russia 16.9%, Turkey 7.5%, Kazakhstan 5.9%, Bangladesh 5%, China 4.3%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

$6.51 billion (2009 est.)

$7.07 billion (2008 est.)

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

Russia 25.1%, China 15.3%, South Korea 13.5%, Ukraine 7.1%, Germany 5.4%, Kazakhstan 4.8%, Turkey 4% (2008)

$11 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$10.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$3.63 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$4.022 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 1,469 (2009), 1,317 (2008), 1,263.8 (2007), 1,219.8 (2006), 1,020 (2005)

12.734 million (2008)

AM 20, FM 24, shortwave 3 (2008)

28 (includes 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent and approximately 20 stations in regional capitals) (2006)

2.469 million (2008)

gas 9,706 km; oil 868 km (2009)

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year conscript service obligation; moving toward a professional military, but conscription will continue; the military cannot accommodate everyone who wishes to enlist, and competition for entrance into the military is similar to the competition for admission to universities (2007)

2% of GDP (2005 est.)

prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan