Background: Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia, with 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 Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) dissolved 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 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 2021 with 80% of the vote and again following a 2023 constitutional referendum with 87% 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
Country comparison total: 6,893 km
Country comparison border countries: (5) Afghanistan 144 km; Kazakhstan 2,330 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,314 km; Tajikistan 1,312 km; Turkmenistan 1,793 km

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.)
Agricultural land arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 7.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 29.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 37,320 km² (2020)

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
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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 (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 m³ (2020 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
Total: 36,520,593
Male: 18,324,813
Female: 18,195,780 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.43% (2024 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 2.9% (2017 est.)

Languages: Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Major-language samples: Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek); Gheos World Guide, 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: 29.6% (male 5,597,947/female 5,213,403)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 11,649,017/female 11,617,411)
65 years and over: 6.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,077,849/female 1,364,966)

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: 28.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 28.1 years
Female: 29.8 years

Population growth rate: 1.43% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 20.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 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: 50.5% 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)

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: 40.98 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 91.81 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 96.16 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

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

Maternal mortality ratio: 30 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 18.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 21.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 73.6 years
Female: 79 years

Total fertility rate: 2.76 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 99.6% of population
Unimproved rural: 3.9% of population
Unimproved total: 2.2% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0.4% of population

Hospital bed density: 4 beds/1,000 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 (2020 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 16.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 17.6% (2020 est.)
Male: 34% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.1% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.8% (2021)

Education expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2020 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)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 11% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 7.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 18.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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 3 cities** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati [Bukhara Province], Farg'ona Viloyati [Fergana Province], Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Shahri, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Shahri [Samarkand City], Samarqand Viloyati [Samarkand Province], Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Nurafshon], 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 9 July 2023 (next to be held in 2,030); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011 but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president
Election results: 2023: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in snap election; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 87.71%, Robaxon Maxmudova (Adolat) 4.47%, Ulugbek Inoyatov (PDP) 4.05%, Abdushukur Xamzayev (Ecological Party) 3.77%; 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 27 October 2024
Elections results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 68, women 22, percentage women 24.4%; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - Liberal Democratic Party 34.8%, the National Revival Democratic Party 18.8%, the People's Democratic Party 17.1%, the Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party 16.2%, the Ecological Party 13.1%; seats by party - LDP 64, National Revival Democratic Party 29, PDP 20, Adolat 21, the Ecological Party 16

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 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), Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU, National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi), People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP (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, UNOOSA, 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)
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: info.washington@mfa.uz; [link]
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jonathan HENICK (since 14 October 2022)
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: ACSTashkent@state.gov; [link]

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/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: 7 (5 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:

Economy 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: $319.174 billion (2023 est.); $301.139 billion (2022 est.); $284.984 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 5.99% (2023 est.); 5.67% (2022 est.); 7.4% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $8,800 (2023 est.); $8,400 (2022 est.); $8,200 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 59.7% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 16.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 34.8% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 8.3% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 26.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -45.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23% (2023 est.)
Industry: 30.5% (2023 est.)
Services: 41% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, wheat, carrots/turnips, cotton, potatoes, tomatoes, grapes, vegetables, watermelons, apples (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 6.15% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 14.27 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 4.53% (2023 est.); 4.54% (2022 est.); 5.35% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 11% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 7.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 18.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $20.578 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $20.79 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 14.79% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 24.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

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

Inflation rate consumer prices: 11.45% (2022 est.); 10.85% (2021 est.); 12.87% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance: -$7.788 billion (2023 est.); -$617.833 million (2022 est.); -$4.898 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $24.536 billion (2023 est.); $21.926 billion (2022 est.); $16.442 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Switzerland 25%, Russia 15%, China 12%, Turkey 9%, Kazakhstan 7% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: gold, cotton yarn, garments, natural gas, refined copper (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $42.098 billion (2023 est.); $35.61 billion (2022 est.); $27.936 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 24%, Russia 19%, Kazakhstan 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, cars, wheat, refined petroleum (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $34.558 billion (2023 est.); $35.774 billion (2022 est.); $35.375 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $22.305 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 16.926 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 67.642 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 2.644 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 6.232 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 10.704 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 93.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 5.356 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 7.396 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 9,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 2.194 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.375 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 64,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 91,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 594 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 47.5 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 43.227 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 5.595 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 12,000 m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.841 trillion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 103.219 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 9.807 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 11.041 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 82.37 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 53.528 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 5.686 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 35.69 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 103 (2022 est.)

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.)

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 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

Terrorist groups: 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 the Terrorism reference guide

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: UK

Airports: 74 (2024)

Heliports: 3 (2024)

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

Roadways
Total: 225,500 km (2013)

Waterways: 1,100 km (2012)

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