Uzbekistan

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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, Islam KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms.

Geography

Location

Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total: 447,400 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km
water: 22,000 sq km
country comparison to the world: 58

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 2330 km, Kyrgyzstan 1314 km, Tajikistan 1312 km, Turkmenistan 1793 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 Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation

lowest point: Sariqamish 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

agricultural land: 62.6% (2011 est.)
arable land: 10.1% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0.8% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 51.7% (2011 est.)
forest: 7.7% (2011 est.)
other: 29.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

42,150 sq km (2012)

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

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, 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

People and Society

Population

30,023,709 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

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 4.4% (2017 est.)

Languages

Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
note: in the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

Religions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.61%(male 3,631,957 /female 3,457,274)
15-24 years: 17.85%(male 2,735,083 /female 2,623,511)
25-54 years: 44.95%(male 6,714,567 /female 6,781,485)
55-64 years: 8.15%(male 1,156,462 /female 1,289,703)
65 years and over: 5.44%(male 698,610 /female 935,057) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 47.7 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 41.4 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 16 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 29.1 years (2018 est.)
male: 28.5 years
female: 29.7 years
country comparison to the world: 128

Population growth rate

0.91% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119

Birth rate

16.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

Death rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

Net migration rate

-2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 50.4% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 1.28% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2.49 million TASHKENT (capital) (2019)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.4 years (2014 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114

Infant mortality rate

total: 17.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 20.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 90

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.3 years (2018 est.)
male: 71.2 years
female: 77.5 years
country comparison to the world: 126

Total fertility rate

1.75 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 98.5% of population
rural: 80.9% of population
total: 87.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.5% of population
rural: 19.1% of population
total: 12.7% of population (2012 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

6.3% (2016)

Physicians density

2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Hospital bed density

4 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2015 est.)
total: 100% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2015 est.)
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

52,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,300 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.6% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 123

Education expenditures

6.3% of GDP (2017)
country comparison to the world: 26

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2016)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2017)

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)

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 2017 (2018)

Legal system

civil law system

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 (interim president from 8 September 2016; formally elected president on 4 December 2016 to succeed longtime President Islom KARIMOV, who died on 2 September 2016)
head of government: Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Transport Achilbay RAMATOV (since 15 December 2016)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to 7 years, and reverted to 5 years in 2011); election last held on 4 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011, but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president
election results: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Hotamjon KETMONOV (NDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURODOV (Milliy Tiklanish/National Revival) 2.4%, other 1.8%

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of:
Senate (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round, if needed; members serve 5-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last held 13-14 January 2015 (next to be held in 2020)
Legislative Chamber - last held on 21 December 2014 and 4 January 2015 (next to be held in December 2019)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 83, women 17, percent of women 17%
Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 52, National Revival Democratic Party 36, NDP 27, Adolat 20, Ecological Movement 15; composition - men 126, women 24, percent of women 16%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 16.4%
note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and economic sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges)
judge selection and term of office: judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for initial 5-year term and can be reappointed for subsequent 10-year and lifetime terms
subordinate courts: regional, district, city, and town courts

Political parties and leaders

Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Boriy ALIKHANOV]
Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV]
Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Aktam HAITOV]
National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV]
People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or NDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Javlon VAHOBOV (since 29 November 2017)
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300
FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel ROSENBLUM (since 24 May 2019)
telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093
mailing address: use embassy street address
FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

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

Economy

Economy - overview

Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in which 51% of the population lives in urban settlements; the agriculture-rich Fergana Valley, in which Uzbekistan’s eastern borders are situated, has been counted among the most densely populated parts of Central Asia. Since its independence in September 1991, the government has largely maintained its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production, prices, and access to foreign currency. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbek agriculture remains largely centered on cotton; Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter and seventh-largest producer. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments, and export of natural gas, gold, and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings.Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdowns in neighboring Russia and China have hurt Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsened its foreign currency shortage. Aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government is taking incremental steps to reform the business sector and address impediments to foreign investment in the country. Since the death of first President Islam KARIMOV and election of President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, emphasis on such initiatives and government efforts to improve the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets.As a part of its economic reform efforts, the Uzbek Government is looking to expand opportunities for small and medium enterprises and prioritizes increasing foreign direct investment. In September 2017, the government devalued the official currency rate by almost 50% and announced the loosening of currency restrictions to eliminate the currency black market, increase access to hard currency, and boost investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$223 billion (2017 est.)
$211.8 billion (2016 est.)
$196.5 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 63

GDP (official exchange rate)

$48.83 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.3% (2017 est.)
7.8% (2016 est.)
7.9% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$6,900 (2017 est.)
$6,700 (2016 est.)
$6,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 158

Gross national saving

32.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
25.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
27.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

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.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 17.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 33.7% (2017 est.)
services: 48.5% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Industries

textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate

4.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

Labor force

18.12 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 25.9%
industry: 13.2%
services: 60.9% (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

5% (2017 est.)
5.1% (2016 est.)
note: official data; another 20% are underemployed
country comparison to the world: 75

Population below poverty line

14% (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.8 (2003)
44.7 (1998)
country comparison to the world: 85

Budget

revenues: 15.22 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 15.08 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

31.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42

Public debt

24.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
10.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12.5% (2017 est.)
8% (2016 est.)
note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012
country comparison to the world: 208

Central bank discount rate

9% (2016)
9% (2015)
country comparison to the world: 36

Commercial bank prime lending rate

16% (31 December 2016 est.)
11.2% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Stock of narrow money

$4.173 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$7.729 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110

Stock of broad money

$4.173 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$7.729 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115

Stock of domestic credit

$5.558 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$11.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2012)
$715.3 million (31 December 2006)
country comparison to the world: 108

Current account balance

$1.713 billion (2017 est.)
$384 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43

Exports

$11.48 billion (2017 est.)
$11.2 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85

Exports - partners

Switzerland 38.7%, China 15.5%, Russia 10.7%, Turkey 8.6%, Kazakhstan 7.7%, Afghanistan 4.7% (2017)

Exports - commodities

energy products, cotton, gold, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and nonferrous metals, textiles, foodstuffs, machinery, automobiles

Imports

$11.42 billion (2017 est.)
$10.92 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and nonferrous metals

Imports - partners

China 23.7%, Russia 22.5%, Kazakhstan 10.7%, South Korea 9.8%, Turkey 5.8%, Germany 5.6% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

Debt - external

$16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

Exchange rates

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -
3,906.1 (2017 est.)
2,966.6 (2016 est.)
2,966.6 (2015 est.)
2,569.6 (2014 est.)
2,311.4 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Electricity - production

55.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - consumption

49.07 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - exports

13 billion kWh (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - imports

10.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23

Electricity - installed generating capacity

12.96 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - from fossil fuels

86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212

Crude oil - production

41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57

Crude oil - exports

27,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Crude oil - imports

420 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81

Crude oil - proved reserves

594 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44

Refined petroleum products - production

61,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

Refined petroleum products - consumption

60,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95

Refined petroleum products - exports

3,977 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95

Refined petroleum products - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215

Natural gas - production

52.1 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - consumption

43.07 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - exports

9.401 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

95.58 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 3,444,330
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 24,265,460
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 82 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

Telephone system

general assessment: digital exchanges in large cities and in rural areas; increased investment in infrastructure and growing subscriber base; fixed-line is underdeveloped due to preeminence of mobile market; growth in broadband penetration in the future; Wi-Fi hotspot in the city of Tashkent in the future (2018)
domestic: fixed-line 12 per 100 person and mobile-cellular 82 per 100; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbek Telecom, owner of the fixed-line telecommunications system, has used loans from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to upgrade fixed-line services including conversion to digital exchanges; mobile-cellular services are provided by 2 private and 3 state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 22.8 million as of January 2018 (2018)
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 with recent appointment of the Uzbek President's elder daughter as it deputy director (2019)

Internet country code

.uz

Internet users

total: 15,157,210
percent of population: 46.8% (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3,320,210
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36

Military and Security

Military expenditures

4% of GDP (2018)
3.5% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 11

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops (2019)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year conscript service obligation for males (conscripts have the option of paying for a shorter service of one month while remaining in the reserves until the age of 27); Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions (2016)

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 2 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 29 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,486,673 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 114,334,520mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

UK (2016)

Airports

53 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 89

Airports - with paved runways

total: 33 (2013)
over 3,047 m: 6 (2013)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)
under 914 m: 4 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 20 (2013)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013)
under 914 m: 18 (2013)

Pipelines

13,700 km gas, 944 km oil (2016)

Railways

total: 4,642 km (2018)
broad gauge: 4,642 km1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified) (2018)
country comparison to the world: 42

Roadways

total: 86,496 km (2000)
paved: 75,511 km (2000)
unpaved: 10,985 km (2000)
country comparison to the world: 57

Waterways

1,100 km (2012)
country comparison to the world: 62

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Termiz (Amu Darya)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 79,942 (2018)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; government-compelled forced labor of adults remained endemic during the 2014 cotton harvest; despite a decree banning the use of persons under 18, children were mobilized to harvest cotton by local officials in some districts; in some regions, local officials forced teachers, students, private business employees, and others to work in construction, agriculture, and cleaning parks; Uzbekistani women and children are victims of sex trafficking domestically and in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia; Uzbekistani men and, to a lesser extent, women are subjected to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine in the construction, oil, agriculture, retail, and food sectors
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; law enforcement efforts in 2014 were mixed; the government made efforts to combat sex and transnational labor trafficking, but government-compelled forced labor of adults in the cotton harvest went unaddressed, and the decree prohibiting forced child labor was not applied universally; official complicity in human trafficking in the cotton harvest remained prevalent; authorities made efforts to identify and protect sex and transnational labor victims, although a systematic process is still lacking; minimal efforts were made to assist victims of forced labor in the cotton harvest, as the government does not openly acknowledge the existence of this forced labor; the ILO did not have permission or funding to monitor the 2014 harvest, but the government authorized the UN's International Labour Organization to conduct a survey on recruitment practices and working conditions in agriculture, particularly the cotton sector, and to monitor the 2015-17 cotton harvests for child and forced labor in project areas (2015)

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