Uzbekistan

Branches

Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard

Defense expenditures

164 million soms, 3.7% of GDP (1993); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 5,672,621 males fit for military service: 4,623,960 males reach military age (18) annually: 231,293 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note - there is at least one state-owned broadcast station of NA type

Radios

NA

Telephone system

poorly developed domestic: NMT-450 analog cellular network established in Tashkent 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; new Intelsat links to Tokyo and Ankara give Uzbekistan international access independent of Russian facilities; satellite earth stations - NA Orbita and NA Intelsat

Telephones

1.458 million (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2

Televisions

NA Defense

Agriculture

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

introduced provisional som-coupons 10 November 1993 which circulated parallel to the Russian rubles; became the sole legal currency 31 January 1994; was replaced in July 1994 by the som currency

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $71 million (1993) note: commitments, $2,915 million ($135 million in disbursements) (1992-95)

Economic overview

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It was one of the poorest republics of the former Soviet Union with more than 60% of its population living in overpopulated rural communities. At the same time, Uzbekistan is the world's third largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence, 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 stepped up the pace of reform in mid-1994, by introducing tighter monetary policies, expanding privatization, reducing the role of the state in the economy, and improving the environment for foreign investors. Nevertheless, the state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy, and reforms have so far failed to induce far-reaching structural changes.

Electricity

capacity: 11,690,000 kW production: 47.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,130 kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

soms per US$1 - 35.8 (end December 1995), 25 (yearend 1994)

Exports

$3.1 billion (1995) commodities: cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products partners: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, US

External debt

$1.285 billion (of which $510 million to Russia)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $54.7 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$2,370 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-1% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; government eradication programs; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Imports

$2.9 billion (1995) commodities: grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods partners: principally other FSU countries, Czech Republic

Industrial production growth rate

0% (1995 est.)

Industries

textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.7% monthly average (January-October 1995 est.)

Labor force

8.234 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 43%, industry and construction 22%, other 35% (1992)

Unemployment rate

0.4% includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers (December 1995)

Area

total area: 447,400 sq km land area: 425,400 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than California

Climate

mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

Coastline

0 km note: Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea (420 km)

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 salinization; soil contamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDT natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 64 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

41,550 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries

total: 6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Land use

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 47% forest and woodland: 0% other: 42%

Location

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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 and Sirdaryo; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west lowest point: Saryqamish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Administrative divisions

12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati note: an administrative division has the same name as its administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Capital

Tashkent (Toshkent)

Constitution

new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Data code

UZ

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Fatiq TESHABAYEV chancery: (temporary) Suites 619 and 623, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 638-4266, 4267

Executive branch

chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; election last held 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA 2000); results - Islam KARIMOV 86%, Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2%; note - the 26 March 1995 referendum extended KARIMOV's term until 2000 (99.6% approval) head of government: Prime Minister Otkir SULTONOV (since December 1995), First Deputy Prime Minister Ismoil JURABEKOV (since NA), Deputy Prime Ministers Viktor CHIZHEN (since NA), Bakhtiyor HAMIDOV (since NA), Kayim HAQQULOV (since NA), Rim GINIYATULLIN (since NA), Saidmukhtor SAIDQOSIMOV (since NA), Mirabror USMONOV (since NA), Murat SHARIFKHOJAYEV (since NA), Uktam ISMAILOV (since NA), Rustam YUNUSOV (since NA) were appointed by the president cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly

FAX

[1] (202) 638-4268

FAX

[7] (3712) 89-13-35

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Independence

31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

AsDB, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM, OIC (observer), OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly

Legal system

evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi local short form: none former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Other political or pressure groups

Birlik (Unity) People's Movement (BPM), Ibrahim BURIYEV, chairman; Islamic Rebirth Party (IRP), Abdullah UTAYEV, chairman; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party was banned 9 December 1992 note: UTAYEV (IRP) is either in prison or in exile

Political parties and leaders

People's Democratic Party (PDP; formerly Communist Party), Islom A. KARIMOV, chairman; Fatherland Progress Party (FPP), Anwar YULDASHEV, chairman; Social Democratic Party, Anvar JORABAYEV, chairman

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)

elections last held 25 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (250 total) People's Democratic Party 207, Fatherland Progress Party 12, other 31; note - final runoffs were held 22 January 1995; seating was as follows: People's Democratic Party 69, Fatherland Progress Party 14, Social Democratic Party 47, local government 120

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley T. ESCUDERO embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3712) 77-14-07, 77-10-81, 77-69-86

Age structure

0-14 years: 40% (male 4,732,585; female 4,618,503) 15-64 years: 55% (male 6,441,052; female 6,540,479) 65 years and over: 5% (male 416,571; female 669,191) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

29.86 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.02 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Uzbek 71.4%, Russian 8.3%, Tajik 4.7%, Kazak 4.1%, Tatar 2.4%, Karakalpak 2.1%, other 7%

Infant mortality rate

79.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.6 years male: 60.44 years female: 68.97 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 97% male: 98% female: 96%

Nationality

noun: Uzbek(s) adjective: Uzbek

Net migration rate

-3.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

23,418,381 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.87% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 261 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 6 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 14 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 8 with paved runways under 914 m: 5 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 7 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 216 (1994 est.)

Highways

total: 78,400 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1990 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992)

Ports

Termiz

Railways

total: 3,460 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 3,460 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)