Uzbekistan
Country Guide

Explore Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan with its capital Tashkent is located in Asia (Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan). It covers some 447,401 square kilometers (about four times the size of Virginia) with a population of 29,748,900. Uzbek, Russian and Tajik are the languages spoken by people in Uzbekistan (consider regional differences). Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are bordering countries.

Uzbekistan has borders with Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. It is doubly landlocked, but includes the southern shoreline of the Aral Sea. Uzbekistan has preserved a rich architectural heritage. The construction of monumental buildings was seen as a matter of prestige, emphasizing the power of the ruling dynasty, leading families and higher clergy. Ugam-Chatkal National Park, (in the spurs of the Western Tien Shan, about 80 km from Tashkent). Ugam-Chatkal National Park is one of the oldest nature reserves in Uzbekistan, founded in 1947. The Western Tien Shan is the natural habitat to 44 species of mammals, 230 species of birds and 1168 species of plants including several endemic plants.

Popular Destinations in Uzbekistan

Administrative regions of Uzbekistan

• Andijan
• Bukhara Province
• Fergana
• Jizzakh Province
• Karakalpakstan
• Namangan
• Navoiy Province
• Qashqadaryo
• Samarqand Viloyati
• Sirdaryo
• Surxondaryo Viloyati
• Toshkent Shahri
• Toshkent Viloyati
• Xorazm Viloyati

About the country

The topography is mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes with 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 as well as shrinking Aral Sea in west. The average density of population is about 66 per km². The climate in Uzbekistan can be described as mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters with semiarid grassland in east. Potential natural disasters are avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, floods and landslides or mudslides.

To reach someone Uzbekistan dial +998 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".uz". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Som is UZS.

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.

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 upon the dissolution of the USSR, the country is striving to reduce its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islom KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. The political transition to his successor, then-Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV was peaceful, but sidelined the constitutional process where the chairman of the Senate would have served as the acting president. MIRZIYOYEV, who won the presidential election in December 2016, has sought to improve relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and proposed wide-ranging economic and judicial reforms.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 58)	447,400	sq km
Land (World Rank: 57)	425,400	sq km
Water (World Rank: 26)	22,000	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 18)	51.70	%
Comparative	about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California
Landborder
6893
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 52)	-12	m
Highest point (World Rank: 39)	4,301	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 39)	62.60	%
Arable (World Rank: 108)	10.10	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 135)	0.80	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 18)	51.70	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 14)	42,150	sq km
Map reference
Asia
Environment
Issues	- including DDT - increasing soil salination - shrinkage of the Aral Sea has resulted in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts - soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals - 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
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Environmental Modification - Hazardous Wastes - Ozone Layer Protection - Wetlands
Hazzards	- avalanches - droughts - earthquakes - floods - landslides or mudslides
Location
Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan
Climate
mostly mid-latitude 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, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 44)	29,748,900
Deathrate (World Rank: 181)	0.53	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 108)	1.68	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 118)	0.93	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 133)	-0.22	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 156)	1.76	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 131)	28.00
Female (World Rank: 121)	29.20
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 54)	3,640,910
0 14 female (World Rank: 54)	3,464,300
15 24 male (World Rank: 42)	2,804,520
15 24 female (World Rank: 42)	2,706,400
25 54 male (World Rank: 39)	6,583,740
25 54 female (World Rank: 37)	6,651,260
55 64 male (World Rank: 43)	1,105,030
55 64 female (World Rank: 42)	1,231,710
65 x male (World Rank: 55)	667,109
65 x female (World Rank: 56)	893,863
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 90)	1.80	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 126)	74	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 122)	77	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 131)	71	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 63)	2.45
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 48)	4.40
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 7)	100.00	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 123)	16.60	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 145)	87.30	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 48)	59,000,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 51)	48,000,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 16)	13,000,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 20)	13,000,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 75)	86.40	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 104)	13.60	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 51)	52,910	bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 50)	27,000	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 81)	380	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 46)	594,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 77)	63,650	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 94)	61,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 96)	4,102	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 15)	55,700,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 53)	10,440,000,000	m³
Export (World Rank: 16)	14,700,000,000	m³
Carbon footprint
109000000

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Nation

Budget
Health (World Rank: 109)	6	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 40)	0	% of GDP
National symbol
khumo
National colours
white
Adjective
Uzbekistani
Noun
Uzbekistani
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 upon the dissolution of the USSR, the country is striving to reduce its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islom KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. The political transition to his successor, then-Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV was peaceful, but sidelined the constitutional process where the chairman of the Senate would have served as the acting president. MIRZIYOYEV, who won the presidential election in December 2016, has sought to improve relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and proposed wide-ranging economic and judicial reforms.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 63)	205,600,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 6)	7.80	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 157)	6,600	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 54)	18.50	%
Source industry (World Rank: 48)	34.60	%
Source service (World Rank: 186)	46.80	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 34)	17,850,000
In poverty (World Rank: 138)	14.00	%
Products
Industries	- chemicals - food processing - hydrocarbon extraction - machine building - metallurgy - mining - textiles
Agriculture	- cotton - fruits - grain - livestock - vegetables
Exports	- automobiles - cotton - energy products - ferrous - foodstuffs - gold - machinery - mineral fertilizers - nonferrous metals - textiles
Imports	- chemicals - equipment - ferrous - foodstuffs - machinery - nonferrous metals

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 44)	3,412,920
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 126)	12.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 166)	79.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 42)	13,791,100
Population (World Rank: 127)	46.80	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 56)	33.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 106)	20.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 42)	4,304
Road
Total length (World Rank: 55)	86,496
Paved length (World Rank: 34)	75,511
Unpaved length (World Rank: 79)	10,985
Water
Total length (World Rank: 64)	1,100

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