2015 Edition

Background

Russia conquered the territory 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 overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country has lessened its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. However, long-serving septuagenarian President Islom KARIMOV, who rose through the ranks of the Soviet-era State Planning Committee (Gosplan), remains wedded to the concepts of a command economy, creating a challenging environment for foreign investment. Current concerns include post-KARIMOV succession, terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.

Area

land

425,400 sq km

total

447,400 sq km

water

22,000 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Elevation extremes

highest point

Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

lowest point

Sariqamish Kuli -12 m

Environment - current issues

shrinkage of the Aral Sea has resulted in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification and respiratory health problems; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

2,113 cu m/yr (2005)

total

56 cu km/yr (7%/3%/90%)

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 64 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

41,980 sq km (2005)

Land boundaries

border countries (5)

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

total

6,893 km

Land use

arable land 10.1%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 51.7%

agricultural land

62.6%

forest

7.7%

other

29.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (doubly landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

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

Total renewable water resources

48.87 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

24.56% (male 3,676,029/female 3,496,916)

15-24 years

19.92% (male 2,945,837/female 2,869,483)

25-54 years

43.46% (male 6,310,206/female 6,379,037)

55-64 years

7.17% (male 987,930/female 1,104,347)

65 years and over

4.9% (male 610,272/female 819,885) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

17 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.4% (2006)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

64.9% (2006)

Death rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7%

potential support ratio

14.3% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

49.7%

youth dependency ratio

42.7%

Drinking water source

urban: 98.5% of population

rural: 80.9% of population

total: 87.3% of population

urban: 1.5% of population

rural: 19.1% of population

total: 12.7% of population (2012 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Health expenditures

6.1% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.15% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,200 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

32,300 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

female

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

22.78 deaths/1,000 live births

total

19.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

note

in the Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.78 years (2015 est.)

male

70.5 years

total population

73.55 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.5% (2015 est.)

male

99.7%

total population

99.6%

Major urban areas - population

TASHKENT (capital) 2.251 million (2015)

Median age

female

28.2 years (2015 est.)

male

27.1 years

total

27.6 years

Nationality

adjective

Uzbekistani

noun

Uzbekistani

Net migration rate

-2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

14.3% (2014)

Physicians density

2.53 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

29,199,942 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.93% (2015 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2011)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.79 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.45% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

36.4% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, 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)

Capital

geographic coordinates

41 19 N, 69 15 E

name

Tashkent (Toshkent)

time difference

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

Constitution

several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992; amended several times, last in 2014 (2014)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Uzbekistan

conventional short form

Uzbekistan

former

Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

O'zbekiston Respublikasi

local short form

O'zbekiston

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Pamela SPRATLEN (since 21 January 2015)

embassy

3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093

FAX

[998] (71) 120-6335

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[998] (71) 120-5450

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Baxtiyor GULOMOV (since 18 July 2013)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 293-6804

telephone

[1] (202) 283-6803

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of both chambers of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)

chief of state

President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when elected president by the former Supreme Soviet; first elected president of independent Uzbekistan in 1991)

election results

Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV (LDPU) 90.4%, Akmal SAIDOV (Democratic Party of Uzbekistan) 3.1%, Khatamjan KETMANOV (NDP) 2.9%, Nariman UMAROV (Justice Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan) 2.1%, other 1.5%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to 7 years, and reverted to 5 years in 2011); election last held on 29 March 2015 (next to be held in 2020); prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 11 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam AZIMOV (since 2 January 2008)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon (closed side to the hoist) and 12 white 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

Government type

republic; authoritarian presidential rule with little power outside the executive branch

Independence

1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 34 judges organized in civil, criminal, and military sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges); Higher Economic Court (consists of 19 judges)

judge selection and term of office

judges of the 3 highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for 5-year terms subject to reappointment

subordinate courts

regional, district, city, and town courts

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of the Senate (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) and the Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; 135 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed and 15 indirectly elected by the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan; members serve 5-year terms)

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 52, National Rebirth Party 36, NDP 27, Adolat 20, Ecological Movement 15

elections

last held on 21 December 2014 and 4 January 2015 (next to be held in December 2019)

note

all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Islom KARIMOV

National anthem

lyrics/music

Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV

name

"O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

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 holiday

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

National symbol(s)

khumo (mythical bird); national colors: blue, white, red, green

Political parties and leaders

Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Harakati) [Boriy ALIXONOV]

Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV]

Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Sodiqjon TURDIYEV]

National Rebirth Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Milliy Tiklanish) [Sarvar OTAMURODOV]

People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or NDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)

Political pressure groups and leaders

no significant opposition political parties or pressure groups in Uzbekistan

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Budget

expenditures

$19.27 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$18.67 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1% of GDP (2014 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.44% (31 December 2013 est.)

11.2% (31 December 2012 est.)

Current account balance

$73 million (2014 est.)

$1.339 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$8.751 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$8.517 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.8 (2003)

44.7 (1998)

Economy - overview

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country; more than 60% of the population lives in densely populated rural communities. Export of natural gas, gold and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbekistani agriculture remains largely centered around cotton; Uzbekistan is now the world's fifth largest cotton exporter and sixth largest producer.

The country is beginning to enforce a ban on the use of child labor in its cotton harvest and is trying to address international criticism for its previous use of this practice. 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. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government continues to intervene in the business sector and has not addressed the impediments to foreign investment in the country. 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.

Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments and a favorable export environment. In the past Uzbekistani authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbekistani laws and have frozen and even seized their assets. At the same time, the Uzbekistani Government has actively courted several major US and international corporations, offering financing and tax advantages. Diminishing foreign investment and difficulties transporting goods across borders further challenge Uzbekistan’s economy, though it recently has intensified economic ties to Beijing. Tashkent began exporting natural gas to China and Chinese investments in the country have substantially increased.

Exchange rates

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -

2,313.6 (2014 est.)

2,095.6 (2013 est.)

1,890.1 (2012 est.)

1,715.8 (2011 est.)

1,587.2 (2010 est.)

Exports

$13.32 billion (2014 est.)

$12.83 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

China 26.8%, Russia 14.7%, Kazakhstan 14.6%, Turkey 13.1%, Bangladesh 10.2% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

26.9%

government consumption

22.7%

household consumption

55.6%

imports of goods and services

-29.6%

investment in fixed capital

24.4%

investment in inventories

0%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

18.5%

industry

32%

services

49.5% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,600 (2014 est.)

$5,200 (2013 est.)

$4,800 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

8.1% (2014 est.)

8% (2013 est.)

8.2% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$62.62 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$171.7 billion (2014 est.)

$158.8 billion (2013 est.)

$147 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

31.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

29.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

32% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.6% (2003)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Imports

$12.5 billion (2014 est.)

$11.43 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 22.8%, China 19.6%, South Korea 14.9%, Kazakhstan 10.2%, Germany 4.8%, Turkey 4.4% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

6.2% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.4% (2014 est.)

12% (2013 est.)

note

official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012

Labor force

17.24 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

25.9%

industry

13.2%

services

60.9% (2012 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2012)

$715.3 million (31 December 2006)

Population below poverty line

17% (2011 est.)

Public debt

7.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

6.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$18 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$17 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$15.58 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$13.57 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$12.76 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$12.07 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$7.605 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.154 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.9% (2014 est.)

4.9% (2013 est.)

note

official data, another 20% are underemployed

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

123.2 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

100,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

594 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

45.07 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

12.25 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

86% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

14% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

12.16 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

12.35 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

52.53 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

52.7 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

10.2 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

62.9 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

105,600 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

4,968 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

655.9 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

92,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

government controls media; 14 state-owned broadcasters - 10 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 2013, the government closed TV and radio broadcasters affiliated with the National Association of Electronic Mass Media of Uzbekistan, a government-sponsored NGO for private broadcast media

Internet country code

.uz

Internet users

percent of population

40.6% (2014 est.)

total

11.8 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 20, FM 24, shortwave 3 (2008)

Telephone system

domestic

the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbektelecom, owner of the fixed-line telecommunications system, has used loans from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to upgrade fixed-line services including conversion to digital exchanges; mobile-cellular services are provided by 3 private and 1 state-owned operator with a total subscriber base of 19 million as of January 2014

general assessment

digital exchanges in large cities and in rural areas

international

country code - 998; linked by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; the country also has a link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; Uzbekistan has supported the national fiber optic backbone project of Afghanistan since 2008 (2009)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

2.51 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

75 (2014 est.)

total

21.6 million

Television broadcast stations

28 (includes 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent and approximately 20 stations in regional capitals) (2006)

Airports

53 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

2,438 to 3,047 m

13

914 to 1,523 m

4

over 3,047 m

6

total

33

under 914 m

4 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

18 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

total

20

Pipelines

gas 10,401 km; oil 944 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

river port(s)

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Railways

broad gauge

3,645 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2014)

total

3,645 km

Roadways

paved

75,511 km

total

86,496 km

unpaved

10,985 km (2000)

Waterways

1,100 km (2012)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

7,886,459 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

7,887,292

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

6,745,818 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

6,566,118

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

295,456 (2010 est.)

male

306,404

Military branches

Uzbek Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces (2013)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-month or 1-year conscript service obligation for males; moving toward a professional military, but conscription in some form 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 (2013)

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

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

86,703 (2014)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; adults and children are victims of government-compelled forced labor during Uzbekistan’s annual cotton harvest, as well as for the construction and cleaning of parks; the government in 2013 for the first time cooperated with the ILO to monitor the cotton harvest for compliance with the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention; the ILO recorded 53 violations but concluded that forced child labor was not used on a systematic basis during the 2013 cotton harvest; Uzbekistani women and children are sex trafficked domestically and in countries in Central Asia, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe; Uzbekistani men and women are subjected to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia, the UAE, Malaysia, and, to a lesser extent, Ukraine in domestic service, agriculture, construction, and the oil industry

tier rating

Tier 3 – Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government in 2013 did not openly acknowledge forced labor in the cotton sector, which remained prevalent, but it took an encouraging step in allowing the ILO to monitor the cotton harvest for forced child labor; authorities continued to address transnational sex and labor trafficking, implementing anti-trafficking awareness campaigns; the government operated a shelter to help sex and labor trafficking victims and strengthened its ties with NGOs to repatriate victims and provide services, although no systematic procedures for assisting trafficking victims were in place; NGOs unaffiliated with the government faced additional scrutiny in 2013, hampering their efforts to protect victims (2014)