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.

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N 64 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 447,400 km²
Land: 425,400 km²
Water: 22,000 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Total: 6,221 km
Border countries: (5) 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
Extremes 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 (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 72.2 km³ (2003)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: along with Liechtenstein one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

Population: 27,345,026 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.965% (2008 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.)

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

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 29% (male 4,047,918/female 3,870,346)
15-64 years: 66% (male 8,971,017/female 9,079,170)
65 years and over: 5% (male 588,498/female 788,077) (2008 est.)

Median age
Total: 24.3 years
Male: 23.8 years
Female: 24.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.965% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 17.99 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 5.3 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 24.23 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 28.61 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 19.58 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.69 years
Male: 68.69 years
Female: 74.87 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 11,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Education expenditures: 9.4% of GDP (1991)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.3%
Male: 99.6%
Female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 11 years (2007)

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
Name: Tashkent (Toshkent)
Geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E
Time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions
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: adopted 8 December 1992

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

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 MIRZIYOYEV (since 11 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam AZIMOV (since 2 January 2008)
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 (eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 23 December 2007 (next to be held in 2014); prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers appointed by the president
Election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 88.1%, Aslidden RUSTAMOV 3.2%, Dilorom TASHMUKHAMEDOVA 2.9%, Akmal SAIDOV 2.6%

Legislative branch
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 TASHMUHAMMEDOVA]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Hurshid DOSMUHAMMEDOV]; Fidokorlar National Democratic Party (Self-Sacrificers) [Ahtam TURSUNOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHADMANOV; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV]

International organization participation: ADB CIS CSTO EAEC EAPC EBRD ECO FAO GCTU 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)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
In the us chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 887-5,300
In the us fax: [1] (202) 293-6,804
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard B. NORLAND
From the us embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100,093
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [998] (71) 120-5,450
From the us fax: [998] (71) 120-6,335

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

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 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 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) both organizations dominated by Russia. Uzbek authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek tax laws and have frozen their assets.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $64.4 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 9.5% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $2,400 (2007 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 29.4%
Industry: 33.1%
Services: 37.5% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: cotton vegetables fruits grain; livestock

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

Industrial production growth rate: 12.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 14.6 million (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 44%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 0.8% officially by the Ministry of Labor plus another 20% underemployed (2007 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)

Budget
Revenues: $6.478 billion
Expenditures: $6.5 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 18.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 12% officially but 38% based on analysis of consumer prices (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $36.89 million (2005)

Current account balance: $4.615 billion (2007 est.)

Exports: $8.05 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: cotton gold energy products mineral fertilizers ferrous and non-ferrous metals textiles food products machinery automobiles
Partners: Russia 22.4% Poland 10.4% Turkey 9.4% Kazakhstan 6.1% Hungary 6% China 5.6% Ukraine 4.8% Bangladesh 4.3% (2007)

Imports: $4.48 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs chemicals ferrous and non-ferrous metals
Partners: Russia 30.1% China 13.3% South Korea 13% Germany 6.3% Kazakhstan 6.2% Ukraine 4% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $3.927 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 1263.8 (2007) 1219.8 (2006) 1020 (2005) 971.265 (2004) 771.029 (2003)

Electricity
Production: 48.79 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption: 42.23 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 11.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Imports: 11.44 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 65.19 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 51.18 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 14.01 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.841 trillion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.793 million (2005)
Mobile cellular: 5.8 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization
Domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated and telephone density is low; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbektelecom, is working on improving main line services; mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber base more than doubling in 2007 to 5.8 million
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 (2007)

Internet
Country code: .uz
Hosts: 38,183 (2008)
Users: 1.2 million (2007)

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation: 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)

Airports: 54 (2007)
With paved runways total: 33
With paved runways over 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 13
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 21
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 19 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 9,725 km; oil 868 km (2007)

Railways
Total: 3,950 km
Broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways
Total: 86,496 km
Paved: 75,511 km
Unpaved: 10,985 km (2000)

Waterways: 1100 km (2006)

Ports and terminals: Termiz (Amu Darya)

Disputes international: 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 39,202 (Tajikistan); 1,060 (Afghanistan)
Idps: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages near Tajikistan border) (2007)

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