2019 Edition

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, Islam 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.

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

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

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

42,150 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Afghanistan 144 km, Kazakhstan 2330 km, Kyrgyzstan 1314 km, Tajikistan 1312 km, Turkmenistan 1793 km

Total

6,893 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

62.6% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

10.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0.8% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

51.7% (2011 est.)

Forest

7.7% (2011 est.)

Other

29.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan

Map References

Asia

Maritime Claims

none (doubly landlocked)

Natural Hazards

earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts

Natural Resources

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

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

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

23.61% (male 3,631,957 /female 3,457,274)

15 24 Years

17.85% (male 2,735,083 /female 2,623,511)

25 54 Years

44.95% (male 6,714,567 /female 6,781,485)

55 64 Years

8.15% (male 1,156,462 /female 1,289,703)

65 Years And Over

5.44% (male 698,610 /female 935,057) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

16.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

6.3% (2016)

Death Rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

6.2 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

16 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

47.7 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

41.4 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

80.9% of population

Improved Total

87.3% of population

Improved Urban

98.5% of population

Unimproved Rural

19.1% of population

Unimproved Total

12.7% of population (2012 est.)

Unimproved Urban

1.5% of population

Education Expenditures

6.3% of GDP (2017)

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.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.2% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

1,300 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

52,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

4 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

14 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

20.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

17.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

77.5 years

Male

71.2 years

Total Population

74.3 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

100% (2016)

Male

100%

Total Population

100%

Major Urban Areas Population

2.49 million TASHKENT (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

29.7 years

Male

28.5 years

Total

29.1 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

23.4 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Uzbekistani

Noun

Uzbekistani

Net Migration Rate

-2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

16.6% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

30,023,709 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.91% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

100% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

12 years (2017)

Male

12 years

Total

12 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.99 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.9 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.75 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.75 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

1.28% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

50.4% of total population (2019)

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)

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)

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

Constitution

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 (2018)

History

several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Uzbekistan

Conventional Short Form

Uzbekistan

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"

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 Daniel ROSENBLUM (since 24 May 2019)

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 Javlon VAHOBOV (since 29 November 2017)

Consulate's General

New York

Fax

[1] (202) 293-6804

Telephone

[1] (202) 887-5300

Executive Branch

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 (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)

Election Results

Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Hotamjon KETMONOV (NDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURODOV (Milliy Tiklanish/National Revival) 2.4%, other 1.8%

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 4 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011, but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Transport Achilbay RAMATOV (since 15 December 2016)

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

Government Type

presidential republic; highly authoritarian

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, 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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

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

Legal System

civil law system

Legislative Branch

Description

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of: Senate (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)

Election Results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 83, women 17, percent of women 17% Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 52, National Revival Democratic Party 36, NDP 27, Adolat 20, Ecological Movement 15; composition - men 126, women 24, percent of women 16%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 16.4%

Elections

Senate - last held 13-14 January 2015 (next to be held in 2020) Legislative Chamber - last held on 21 December 2014 and 4 January 2015 (next to be held in December 2019)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV

Name

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

National Holiday

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

National Symbol S

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

Political Parties And Leaders

Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Boriy ALIKHANOV] Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV] 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) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV] People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or NDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Budget

Expenditures

15.08 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

15.22 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

2015

9%

2016

9%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2012

11.2%

31 December 2016

16%

Current Account Balance

2016

$384 million

2017

$1.713 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$16.76 billion

31 December 2017

$16.9 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

1998

44.7

2003

36.8

Economy Overview

Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in which 51% of the population lives in urban settlements; the agriculture-rich Fergana Valley, in which Uzbekistan’s eastern borders are situated, has been counted among the most densely populated parts of Central Asia. Since its independence in September 1991, the government has largely maintained its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production, prices, and access to foreign currency. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbek agriculture remains largely centered on cotton; Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter and seventh-largest producer. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments, and export of natural gas, gold, and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings.Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdowns in neighboring Russia and China have hurt Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsened its foreign currency shortage. Aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government is taking incremental steps to reform the business sector and address impediments to foreign investment in the country. Since the death of first President Islam KARIMOV and election of President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, emphasis on such initiatives and government efforts to improve the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets.As a part of its economic reform efforts, the Uzbek Government is looking to expand opportunities for small and medium enterprises and prioritizes increasing foreign direct investment. In September 2017, the government devalued the official currency rate by almost 50% and announced the loosening of currency restrictions to eliminate the currency black market, increase access to hard currency, and boost investment.

Exchange Rates

2013

2,311.4

2014

2,569.6

2015

2,966.6

2016

2,966.6

2017

3,906.1

Currency

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$11.2 billion

2017

$11.48 billion

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Switzerland 38.7%, China 15.5%, Russia 10.7%, Turkey 8.6%, Kazakhstan 7.7%, Afghanistan 4.7% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

19% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

16.3% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

59.5% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-20% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

25.3% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

3% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

17.9% (2017 est.)

Industry

33.7% (2017 est.)

Services

48.5% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$48.83 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$6,300

2016

$6,700

2017

$6,900

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$196.5 billion

2016

$211.8 billion

2017

$223 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

7.9%

2016

7.8%

2017

5.3%

Gross National Saving

2015

27.6% of GDP

2016

25.4% of GDP

2017

32.7% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

29.6% (2003)

Lowest 10

2.8%

Imports

2016

$10.92 billion

2017

$11.42 billion

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

China 23.7%, Russia 22.5%, Kazakhstan 10.7%, South Korea 9.8%, Turkey 5.8%, Germany 5.6% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

4.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

8%

2017

12.5%

Labor Force

18.12 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

25.9%

Industry

13.2%

Services

60.9% (2012 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2006

$715.3 million

31 December 2012

$NA

Population Below Poverty Line

14% (2016 est.)

Public Debt

2016

10.5% of GDP

2017

24.3% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$14 billion

31 December 2017

$16 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$7.729 billion

31 December 2017

$4.173 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

NA

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

NA

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$11.63 billion

31 December 2017

$5.558 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$7.729 billion

31 December 2017

$4.173 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

31.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

5.1%

2017

5%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

95.58 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

27,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

420 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

594 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

49.07 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

13 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

10.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

12.96 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

55.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

43.07 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

9.401 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

52.1 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

60,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

3,977 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

61,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

11 (2017 est.)

Total

3,320,210

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

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

46.8% (July 2018 est.)

Total

15,157,210

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 12 per 100 person and mobile-cellular 82 per 100; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbek Telecom, 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 2 private and 3 state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 22.8 million as of January 2018 (2018)

General Assessment

digital exchanges in large cities and in rural areas; increased investment in infrastructure and growing subscriber base; fixed-line is underdeveloped due to preeminence of mobile market; growth in broadband penetration in the future; Wi-Fi hotspot in the city of Tashkent in the future (2018)

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

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

12 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

3,444,330

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

82 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

24,265,460

Airports

53 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

6 (2013)

2 438 To 3 047 M

13 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

4 (2013)

Over 3 047 M

6 (2013)

Total

33 (2013)

Under 914 M

4 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

2 438 To 3 047 M

2 (2013)

Total

20 (2013)

Under 914 M

18 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

UK (2016)

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

114,334,520 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

2,486,673 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

29 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

2 (2015)

Pipelines

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

Ports And Terminals

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Railways

Broad Gauge

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

Total

4,642 km (2018)

Roadways

Paved

75,511 km (2000)

Total

86,496 km (2000)

Unpaved

10,985 km (2000)

Waterways

1,100 km (2012)

Military And Security Forces

Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops (2019)

Military Expenditures

2010

3.5% of GDP

2018

4% of GDP

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 (2016)

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

79,942 (2018)

Trafficking In Persons

Current Situation

Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; government-compelled forced labor of adults remained endemic during the 2014 cotton harvest; despite a decree banning the use of persons under 18, children were mobilized to harvest cotton by local officials in some districts; in some regions, local officials forced teachers, students, private business employees, and others to work in construction, agriculture, and cleaning parks; Uzbekistani women and children are victims of sex trafficking domestically and in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia; Uzbekistani men and, to a lesser extent, women are subjected to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine in the construction, oil, agriculture, retail, and food sectors

Tier Rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; law enforcement efforts in 2014 were mixed; the government made efforts to combat sex and transnational labor trafficking, but government-compelled forced labor of adults in the cotton harvest went unaddressed, and the decree prohibiting forced child labor was not applied universally; official complicity in human trafficking in the cotton harvest remained prevalent; authorities made efforts to identify and protect sex and transnational labor victims, although a systematic process is still lacking; minimal efforts were made to assist victims of forced labor in the cotton harvest, as the government does not openly acknowledge the existence of this forced labor; the ILO did not have permission or funding to monitor the 2014 harvest, but the government authorized the UN's International Labour Organization to conduct a survey on recruitment practices and working conditions in agriculture, particularly the cotton sector, and to monitor the 2015-17 cotton harvests for child and forced labor in project areas (2015)