Uzbekistan

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.

Land

425,400 sq km

Total

447,400 sq km

Water

22,000 sq km

about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California

mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

0 km (doubly landlocked)

note

<strong>note:</strong> Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Asia

Highest point

Xazrat Sulton Tog' 4,643 m

Lowest point

Sariqamish Kuli -12 m

41 00 N, 64 00 E

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

37,305 sq km (2022)

Border countries

Afghanistan 144 km; Kazakhstan 2,330 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,314 km; Tajikistan 1,312 km; Turkmenistan 1,793 km

number of neighbors

5

Total

6,893 km

Agricultural land

58.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 47.9% (2023 est.)

arable land

9.14%

Forest

8.7% (2023 est.)

Other

31.8% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

1%

Yes

Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan

Fresh water lake(s)

Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up

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<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage

<em>(Aral Sea basin)</em> Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/AJpo6MjMx23qSWCz8

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/196240

Asia

none (doubly landlocked)

earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts

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

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, but the central and western deserts are sparsely populated

Central Asia

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

UTC+05:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Beer

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

2.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

18.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Women married by age 15

0.2% (2022)

Women married by age 18

3.4% (2022)

6.5%

1.8% (2021 est.)

74.7% (2022 est.)

5 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

114 per 1,000

adult male

197 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

11.1 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

9 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

57.3 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

46.3 (2025 est.)

improved total

81.93%

Improved: rural

rural: 95.2% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 98% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 4.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 2% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

22.1% national budget (2024 est.)

5 % of GDP

Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.9% (2017 est.)

1.25 (2025 est.)

7 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

7.7% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

7.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

4.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Female

15.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

21.1 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

8 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

17.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Major-language sample(s)

<br>Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Note

<strong>note:</strong> in the semi-autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

number of languages

2

Female

79 years

Male

73.6 years

Total population

76.2 years (2024 est.)

Female

100% (2022 est.)

Male

100% (2022 est.)

Total population

100% (2022 est.)

2.603 million TASHKENT (capital) (2023)

26 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

29.8 years

Male

28.1 years

Total

29.2 years (2025 est.)

23.7 years (2019 est.)

Adjective

Uzbekistani

Noun

Uzbekistani

-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

16.6% (2016)

2.81 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Female

18,439,103

Male

18,576,048

Total

37,015,151 (2025 est.)

1.26% (2025 est.)

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

improved total

74.6%

Improved: rural

rural: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)

Female

13 years (2024 est.)

Male

13 years (2024 est.)

Total

13 years (2024 est.)

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

At birth

1.08 male(s)/female

Total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

1% (2025 est.)

Male

30.2% (2025 est.)

Total

15.4% (2025 est.)

2.6 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

50.5% of total population (2023)

measles

99%

12 provinces (<em>viloyatlar</em>, singular - <em>viloyat</em>), 1 autonomous republic* (<em>avtonom respublikasi</em>), and 3 cities** (<em>shahar</em>); 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

<strong>note:</strong> administrative divisions show the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses

Etymology

the current name of the ancient city was first used in the 11th century and comes from the Sogdian (Turkic) words <em>tash (</em>stone) and <em>kent</em> (town); the city was first recorded in the 5th or 4th century B.C. with the name of Chach or Shash

Geographic coordinates

41 19 N, 69 15 E

Name

Tashkent (Toshkent)

Time difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/uz.svg

Amendment process

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

History

several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992

alternative spellings

UZ, Republic of Uzbekistan, O‘zbekiston Respublikasi, Ўзбекистон Республикаси

Conventional long form

Republic of Uzbekistan

Conventional short form

Uzbekistan

Etymology

the name comes from the local people, the Uzbeks, whose name is said to have originated with Mongol leader Ghiyath ad-Din Muhammad UZBEK; the Persian suffix -<em>stan </em>means "country"

FIFA code

UZB

Former

Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Local long form

O'zbekiston Respublikasi

local long form (rus)

Республика Узбекистан

Local short form

O'zbekiston

Chief of mission

Ambassador Jonathan HENICK (since 14 October 2022)

Email address and website

<br>ACSTashkent@state.gov<br><br>https://uz.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent

FAX

[998] 78-120-6335

Mailing address

7110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-7110

Telephone

[998] 78-120-5450

Chancery

1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Chief of mission

Ambassador Furqat SIDIKOV (since 19 April 2023)

Consulate(s) general

New York

Email address and website

<br>info.washington@mfa.uz<br><br>https://www.uzbekistan.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 293-6804

Telephone

[1] (202) 887-5300

Cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)

Chief of state

President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 14 December 2016)

Election results

<br>2023: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in snap election; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 87.7%, Robaxon Maxmudova (Adolat) 4.5%, Ulugbek Inoyatov (PDP) 4%, Abdushukur Xamzayev (Ecological Party) 3.8%<br><br>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%

Election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by majority party in the Supreme Assembly but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president

Expected date of next election

2030

Head of government

Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016)

Most recent election date

9 July 2023&nbsp;

<strong>description:</strong> three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by narrow red stripes with a vertical white crescent moon and 12 five-pointed white stars in the left corner of the top band<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> blue stands for the Turkic peoples and the sky, white for peace and the striving for purity in thoughts and deeds, and green for nature and Islam; the red stripes represent the vital force of all living organisms; the crescent stands for Islam, and the 12 stars for the months and constellations of the Uzbek calendar

The flag of Uzbekistan is composed of three equal horizontal bands of turquoise, white with red top and bottom edges, and green. On the hoist side of the turquoise band is a fly-side facing white crescent and twelve five-pointed white stars arranged just outside the crescent opening in three rows comprising three, four and five stars.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/uz.svg

presidential republic; highly authoritarian

1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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)

Highest court(s)

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

civil law system

note

<strong>note:</strong> in 2020, the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility were reformed; a constitutional referendum in 2023 included additional criminal code reforms  

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)

Chamber name

Legislative Chamber (Qonunchilik palatasi)

Electoral system

mixed system

Expected date of next election

October 2029

Most recent election date

11/7/2024 to 11/12/2024

Number of seats

150 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businesspeople - Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP) (64); Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party (O'zMTDP) (29); Social Democratic Party ("Adolat" SDP) (21); People's Democratic Party (XDP) (20); Ecological Party (O'EP) (16)

Percentage of women in chamber

38%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

Chamber name

Senate (Senat)

Expected date of next election

November 2029

Most recent election date

10/27/2024

Number of seats

65 (56 indirectly elected; 9 appointed)

Percentage of women in chamber

24.6%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

blue, white, red, green

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Itchan Kala (c); Historic Bukhara (c); Historic Shakhrisyabz (c); Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures (c); Western Tien Shan (n); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c)

Total World Heritage Sites

7 (5 cultural, 2 natural)

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

khumo (mythical bird)

Ecological Party of Uzbekistan or EPU<br>Justice Social Democratic Party or ASDP<br>People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or PDP<br>Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party or UzLiDep<br>Uzbekistan National Revival Democratic Party or UzMTDP

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

milk, wheat, cotton, potatoes, carrots/turnips, tomatoes, grapes, watermelons, vegetables, apples (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

3.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

46.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$25.953 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$21.565 billion (2023 est.)

code

UZS

name

Uzbekistani soʻm (UZS) [so'm]

$-5,714,281,672

Current account balance 2022

-$2.847 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$7.799 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$5.738 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$70.26 billion

Debt - external 2023

$25.714 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

<p>lower-middle income Central Asian economy; key exporter of natural gas, cotton, and gold; ongoing reform efforts to reduce state-owned sector dominance, attract foreign investment, and improve sustainability of cotton production</p>

Currency

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

10,054.261 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

10,609.464 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

11,050.145 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

11,734.833 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

12,652.287 (2024 est.)

$26.17 billion

Exports 2022

$20.966 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$25.05 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$26.173 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, cotton yarn, garments, fertilizers, fabric (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Switzerland 34%, Russia 12%, UK 11%, China 7%, Turkey 6% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$2.99 billion

Exports of goods and services

22.8% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

13.9% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

68% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-38% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

37.1% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

-3.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

18.3% (2024 est.)

Industry

31.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

45.2% (2024 est.)

$114.965 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$3,162

35.3 (2003)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

34.5 (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$116.1 billion

$3,020

33 % of GDP

Highest 10%

25.3% (2023 est.)

Lowest 10%

2.1% (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$43.64 billion

Imports 2022

$35.643 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$42.646 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$43.624 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, aircraft (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 32%, Russia 17%, Kazakhstan 8%, S. Korea 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

7.2% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

9.63%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11.4% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

10% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

9.6% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

13.974 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

14.64 million persons

agriculture

25.2%

industry

24.61%

services

50.19%

11% (2023 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2016

10.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

$431.93 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$335.678 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$356.797 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$379.989 billion (2024 est.)

6.5%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

6.3% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

6.5% (2024 est.)

$11,879

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$9,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$10,000 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$10,500 (2024 est.)

$16.58 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

17.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

13.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

14.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

$41.24 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$35.774 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$34.558 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$41.237 billion (2024 est.)

20 % of GDP

12 % of GDP

11.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

4.62%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

4.5% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.5% (2024 est.)

Female

18.1% (2024 est.)

Male

7.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

10.9% (2024 est.)

Consumption

8.941 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

3.521 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Production

6.379 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

1.375 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

75.753 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

2,094 kWh

Exports

2.043 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

4.977 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

17.901 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

3.433 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Fossil fuels

90.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

8.73%

Hydroelectricity

8.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

7.08%

Solar

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

1,382 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

55.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

44.455 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Exports

1.308 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports

2.514 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

43.249 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

1.841 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

594 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

111,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

64,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

1%

per 100 inhabitants

30 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

30 (2023 est.)

Total

10.8 million (2023 est.)

state-controlled media; 17 state-owned broadcasters, including 13 TV and 4 radio, with national service; about 20 privately owned TV stations, overseen by local officials, broadcast locally; privately owned TV stations required to lease transmitters from state-owned Republic TV and Radio Industry Corporation (2019)

.uz

Percent of population

89% (2023 est.)

######

+998

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

17 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

6.147 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

107 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1,110 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

40.2 million (2024 est.)

passengers carried

4.85 million passengers

registered carrier departures

29,916 departures

74 (2025)

UK

Right

3 (2025)

Broad gauge

4,642 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified)

Total

4,642 km (2018)

UZ

armored vehicles

tanks

the military&rsquo;s responsibilities include ensuring the country&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing its borders, and assisting with internal security; regional security and international terrorism are areas of concern; Uzbekistan joined the Russian-sponsored Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the 1990s but withdrew in 1999; it returned in 2006 but left again in 2012; although not part of CSTO, Uzbekistan continues to maintain defense ties with Russia, including joint military exercises and defense industrial cooperation; it also has defense ties with other regional countries, including Azerbaijan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Turkey; it is part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and participates in SCO training exercises (2025)

Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard <br><br>Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, police (2024)

active duty personnel

68,000

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the State Security Service, whose chairperson reports directly to the president, is responsible for national security and intelligence matters, including terrorism, corruption, organized crime, border control, and narcotics

percent of total labor force

0.52 %

limited available information; estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Russian or Soviet-era armaments with smaller quantities of items from suppliers such as China, T&uuml;rkiye, and the US; Uzbekistan has a small defense industry, which is involved in repairing and maintaining aircraft and armored vehicles, as well as producing light armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles/drones, and other military items (2025)

Military Expenditures 2015

2.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military Expenditures 2016

2.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

18-30 for voluntary/contract service for men and women; 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service for men with a 12-month service obligation (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> those conscripted 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

PowerIndex score

0.9908

Refugees

8,505 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

20,000 (2024 est.)

2018 - signed space cooperation agreements with France and India<br><br>2022 - signed space cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan <br><br>2025 - Uzbek engineers began two-year satellite development training program in Japan with goal of building country's first satellite; signed space cooperation agreement with South Korea; announced development of 10-year national space program

Space Research and Technology Agency (UzCosmos or UzSpace; established 2019) (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> Uzcosmos operates under the Ministry of Digital Technologies

has a small but growing space effort focused on acquiring satellites and developing the country&rsquo;s space industries and technologies in key sectors, including cartography, data processing, environmental and disaster monitoring, land use, resource management, and telecommunications; recognized for its astronomy program; member of international space organizations; cooperates with foreign space agencies or commercial companies from a variety of countries, including those of Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, and the UAE (2025)

Islamic Jihad Union (IJU); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K)

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> 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 <strong><br><br>note 2:</strong> 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

From coal and metallurgical coke

12.845 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

84.71 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

13.437 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

110.992 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts in the shrinking Aral Sea; desertification; water pollution and soil salination from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals

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

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Agriculture

868.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

848.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

261.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

46.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

10 % of total land area

0 % of total

48.87 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

263 % of internal resources

Agricultural

41 billion cubic meters (2022)

Industrial

1.2 billion cubic meters (2022)

Municipal

2.3 billion cubic meters (2022)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

4 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

31.6% (2022 est.)