| Background: |
Russia conquered
Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the
Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a
socialist republic set up in 1925. 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 poisoned and the
Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since
1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence
on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum
reserves. Current concerns include insurgency by Islamic
militants based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, a
non-convertible currency, and the curtailment of human
rights and democratization. |
| Location: |
Central Asia,
north of Afghanistan |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
41 00 N, 64 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Commonwealth of
Independent States |
| Area: |
total:
447,400 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km
water: 22,000 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than California |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km,
Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161
km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km |
| Coastline: |
0 km; note -
Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea
with a 420 km shoreline |
| Maritime
claims: |
none (doubly
landlocked) |
| Climate: |
mostly
midlatitude 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,
Sirdaryo (Syr Darya), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan;
shrinking Aral Sea in west |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m |
| Natural
resources: |
natural gas,
petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and
zinc, tungsten, molybdenum |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
9%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 41% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
40,000 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
drying up of the
Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical
pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then
blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute
to desertification; 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 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
| Geography
- note: |
along with
Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked
countries in the world |
| Population: |
25,155,064 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
36.32% (male 4,646,341; female 4,489,265)
15-64 years: 59.06% (male 7,351,908; female
7,504,626)
65 years and over: 4.62% (male 466,029; female
696,895) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.6% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
26.1 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
8 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-2.06 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
71.92
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 63.81 years
male: 60.24 years
female: 67.56 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.06 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.01%
(1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Uzbekistani(s)
adjective: Uzbekistani |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Uzbek 80%,
Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar
1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.) |
| Religions: |
Muslim 88%
(mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% |
| Languages: |
Uzbek 74.3%,
Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (yearend 1996) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan
local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi
local short form: none
former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Government
type: |
republic;
effectively authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch |
| Capital: |
Tashkent (Toshkent) |
| Administrative
divisions: |
12 wiloyatlar
(singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi),
and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati,
Farghona Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch),
Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi),
Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo
Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz),
Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati
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 Soviet Union) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
1 September (1991) |
| Constitution: |
new constitution
adopted 8 December 1992 |
| Legal
system: |
evolution of
Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March
1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme
Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Otkir
SULTONOV (since 21 December 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the
president with approval of the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote
for a five-year term; election last held 9 January 2000
(next to be held NA January 2005); note - extension of
President KARIMOV's original term for an additional five
years overwhelmingly approved - 99.6% of total vote in favor
- by national referendum held 27 March 1995; prime minister
and deputy ministers appointed by the president
election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected
president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%,
Abdulkhafiz DZHALALOV 4.2% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 December and 19 December
1999 (next to be held NA December 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34,
Fatherland Progress Party 20, Adolat Social Democratic Party
11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16, local government 110,
vacant 1
note: not all seats in the last Supreme
Assembly election were contested; all parties in the Supreme
Assembly support President KARIMOV |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court
(judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the
Supreme Assembly) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Adolat (Justice)
Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first secretary];
Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Aziz
KAYUMOV, chairman]; Fatherland Progress Party [Anwar Z.
YOLDASHEV]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly
Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALOLOV, first secretary];
Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic
Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Birlik (Unity)
Movement [Abdurakhim PULAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom)
Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9
December 1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abdumanob
PULAT, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of
Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman] |
| International
organization participation: |
AsDB, CCC, CIS,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Shavkat HAMRAKULOV
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300
FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador John Edward HERBST
embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
mailing address: use embassy street address; US
Embassy Tashkent, Department of State, Washington, DC
20521-7110
telephone: [998] (71) 120-5444
FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal
horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated
by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white
stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant |
| Economy
- overview: |
Uzbekistan is a
dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely
cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its
population lives in densely populated rural communities.
Uzbekistan is now the world's third largest cotton exporter,
a large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally
significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following
independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop
up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight
controls on production and prices. Faced with high rates of
inflation, however, the government began to reform in
mid-1994, by introducing tighter monetary policies,
expanding privatization, slightly reducing the role of the
state in the economy, and improving the environment for
foreign investors. The state continues to be a dominating
influence in the economy and has so far failed to bring
about much-needed structural changes. The IMF suspended
Uzbekistan's $185 million standby arrangement in late 1996
because of governmental steps that made impossible
fulfillment of Fund conditions. Uzbekistan has responded to
the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and
Russian financial crises by tightening export and currency
controls within its already largely closed economy. Economic
policies that have repelled foreign investment are a major
factor in the economy's stagnation. A growing debt burden,
persistent inflation, and a poor business climate led to
stagnant growth in 2000, with little improvement predicted
for 2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $60 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
2.1% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
28%
industry: 21%
services: 51% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
3.1%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1993) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
40% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
11.9 million
(1998 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 44%,
industry 20%, services 36% (1995) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
10% plus another
20% underemployed (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$4 billion
expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
| Industries: |
textiles, food
processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas,
chemicals |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
6.4% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
42.876 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
86.4%
hydro: 13.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
43.455 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
3.92 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
7.5 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cotton,
vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock |
| Exports: |
$2.9 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
cotton, gold,
natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles,
food products, automobiles |
| Exports
- partners: |
Russia 13%,
Switzerland 10%, UK 10%, Belgium 3%, Kazakhstan 4%,
Tajikistan 4% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$2.6 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, chemicals, metals; foodstuffs |
| Imports
- partners: |
Russia 14%, South
Korea 14%, Germany 11%, US 8%, Turkey 4%, Kazakhstan 4%
(1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$3.3 billion
(1999 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$276.6 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Uzbekistani sum (UZS) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Uzbekistani sums
per US dollar - 325.0 (January 2001), 141.4 (January 2000),
111.9 (February 1999), 110.95 (December 1998), 75.8
(September 1997), 41.1 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
1.98 million
(1999) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
26,000 (1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious
need of modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is
being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in
Tashkent and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent
companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998,
six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of
the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one
D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one
AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
international: linked by landline or microwave
radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by
leased connection via the Moscow international gateway
switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will
be independent of Russian facilities for international
communications; Inmarsat also provides an international
connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth
stations - NA (1998) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 20, FM 7,
shortwave 10 (1998) |
| Radios: |
10.8 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
4 (plus two
repeaters that relay Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tadzhik
programs) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
6.4 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.uz |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
42 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
7,500 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
3,380 km in common carrier service; does not include
industrial lines
broad gauge: 3,380 km 1.520-m gauge (300 km
electrified) (1993) |
| Highways: |
total:
81,600 km
paved: 71,237 km (these roads are said to be
hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally
paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other
coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather)
unpaved: 10,363 km (these roads are made of
unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet
weather) (1996) |
| Waterways: |
1,100 km (1990) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 250 km;
petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Termiz (Amu Darya
river) |
| Airports: |
267 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
10
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
257
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 222 |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Air and Air
Defense Forces, Security Forces (internal and border
troops), National Guard |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 6,550,587 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 5,318,418 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
274,602 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$200 million
(FY97) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2% (FY97) |
| Disputes
- international: |
occasional target
of Islamic insurgents based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan |
| Illicit
drugs: |
limited illicit
cultivation of cannabis and very small amounts of opium
poppy, mostly for domestic consumption, almost entirely
eradicated by an effective government eradication program;
increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs
from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe and for acetic
anhydride destined for Afghanistan |
|
