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.

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: 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 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
Highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 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.)
Agricultural land arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.)
Forest: 7.7% (2018 est.)
Other: 29.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 42,150 km² (2012)

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

Major watersheds area km²: Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 km²), Syr Darya (782,617 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 2.41 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 2.13 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 54.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 48.87 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

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

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: 30,842,796 (July 2021 est.)
Growth rate: 0.86% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 14.1% (2013 est.)

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%
Major language samples:
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: 23.19% (male 3,631,693/female 3,456,750)
15-24 years: 16.63% (male 2,601,803/female 2,481,826)
25-54 years: 45.68% (male 6,955,260/female 7,006,172)
55-64 years: 8.63% (male 1,245,035/female 1,392,263)
65 years and over: 5.87% (male 768,769/female 1,025,840) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 50.6
Youth dependency ratio: 43.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.2
Potential support ratio: 13.9 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 30.1 years
Male: 29.4 years
Female: 30.7 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.86% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 15.85 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 5.4 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.86 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

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: 50.4% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.545 million TASHKENT (capital) (2021)

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 25.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 91.81 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 96.16 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 23.7 years (2019 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 19.42 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 23.13 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 15.49 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.03 years
Male: 71.98 years
Female: 78.25 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 96.1% of population
Improved total: 97.8% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 3.9% of population
Unimproved total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 5.3% (2018)

Physicians density: 2.37 physicians/1000 population (2014)

Hospital bed density: 4 beds/1000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2020 est.)
People living with hivaids: 58,000 (2020 est.)
Deaths: <1,000 (2020 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 16.6% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.9% (2017)

Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2020)

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: 13 years
Female: 12 years (2019)

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 2017

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descentonly: 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; reelected president on 24 October 2021)
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 and 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 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:

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)
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 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 - men 77, women 23, percent of women 23%
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 - men 83, women, 17, percent of women 17%
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) [Narzullo OBLOMURODOV]
Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Bahrom ABDUHALIMOV]
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, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Javlon VAHOBOV (since 29 November 2017)
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 email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel ROSENBLUM (since 24 May 2019)
From the us embassy: 3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100,093 Tashkent
From the us mailing address: 7,110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC  20,521-7,110
From the us telephone: [998] 78-120-5,450
From the us FAX: [998] 78-120-6,335
From the us email address and website:

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 symbols: 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 and 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

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 5.3% (2017 est.)

7.8% (2016 est.)

7.9% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

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: milk, wheat, potatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, tomatoes, vegetables, grapes, onions, watermelons

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 13.273 million (2018 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 25.9%
By occupation industry: 13.2%
By occupation services: 60.9% (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5% (2017 est.)
Note: official data; another 20% are underemployed

Population below poverty line: 14.1% (2013 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 36.8 (2003)

44.7 (1998)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.8%
Highest 10: 29.6% (2003)

Budget
Revenues: $15.22 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $15.08 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 31.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 24.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

10.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 12.5% (2017 est.)
Note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012

Current account balance: $1.713 billion (2017 est.)

$384 million (2016 est.)

Exports: $14.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$16.99 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$14.14 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Switzerland 19%, United Kingdom 17%, Russia 15%, China 14%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 8%, Kyrgyzstan 5% (2019)
Commodities: gold, natural gas, cotton fibers, copper, ethylene polymers (2019)

Imports: $22.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$26.55 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$23.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: China 23%, Russia 18%, South Korea 11%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2019)
Commodities: cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, aircraft, construction vehicles (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 55.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 49.07 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: $13 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Imports: 10.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 12.96 million kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 27,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 420 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 594 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 61,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption: 60,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 3,977 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 52.1 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 43.07 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: $9.401 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.841 trillion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3,550,069 (2020)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10.61 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 33.387 million (2020)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99.75 (2020 est.)

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
Users total: 18.6 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 52.31% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 4,820,009 (2020)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14.4 (2020 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

4% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military and security forces: Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Interior: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, Security Service (2021)

note - the National Guard, also under the Ministry of Defense, ensures public order and security of diplomatic missions, radio and television broadcasting, and other state entities

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 (2021)

Terrorist groups: Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
Note: 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

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 mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: UK

Airports
Total: 53 (2013)
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: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2013)
With unpaved runways total: 20
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 18 (2013)

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

Railways
Total: 4,642 km (2018)
Broadgauge: 4,642 km 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified) (2018)

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

Waterways: 1,100 km (2012)

Ports and terminals
River ports: Termiz (Amu Darya)

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: 69,791 (2020)

Illicit drugs: transit country for Afghan opium and heroin destined for Russia and the European Union; also transit country for hashish, cannabis products, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), and synthetic drugs; cannabis and poppy are cultivated in small amounts for personal use and local sale