Uzbekistan

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 national, many local

Televisions

NA

Agriculture - products

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

Debt - external

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

Economic aid

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

Economy - overview

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It was one of the poorest areas of the former Soviet Union with more than 60% of its population living in overpopulated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now 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 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 stepped up the pace of 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. Nevertheless, the state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy, and reforms have 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.

Electricity - capacity

11.82 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,970 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

45.15 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

Uzbekistani soms (UKS) per US$1 - 51.1 (January 1997), 35.8 (end December 1995), 25 (yearend 1994)

Exports

total value: $3.2 billion (1996) commodities: cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, autos partners: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Western Europe

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $57 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 29% industry: 24% services: 47% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,430 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.6% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $3.2 billion (1996) commodities : grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods partners: principally other FSU, Czech Republic, Western Europe

Industrial production growth rate

6% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

55% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 8.2 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 44%, industry and construction 20%, other 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate

0.3% includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers (December 1996)

Area

total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km

Area - comparative

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)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 64 00 E

Geography - note

Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein are the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

Irrigated land

40,000 sq km (1993 est.)

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: 9% permanent crops : 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 3% other: 41% (1993 est.)

Location

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

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 and Syr Darya; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

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: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Constitution

new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

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

Data code

UZ

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Sodyk SAFAYEV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300

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 Utkur SULTONOV (since December 1995); First Deputy Prime Minister Ismoil JURABEKOV (since NA); First Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture Qobiljon OBIDOV (since NA); Deputy Prime Ministers Viktor CHIZHEN (since NA), Bakhtiyor HAMIDOV (since NA), Kayim HAQQULOV (since NA), Dilbar GHOLOMOVA (since NA), Alisher AZIZKHOJAYEV (since NA), Mirabror USMONOV (since NA), Murat SHARIFKHOJAYEV (since NA), Rustam YUNUSOV (since NA) 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 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA 2000; note - extension of President KARIMOV's term for an additional four years overwhelmingly approved - 99.6% of total vote in favor - by national referendum held 26 March 1995); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV elected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 86%, Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2%

FAX

[1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general : New York

FAX

[7] (3712) 40-63-35

Flag description

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

Government type

republic

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, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, 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 Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 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 note: all parties in parliament support President KARIMOV

National capital

Tashkent (Toshkent)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

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

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.7% (1993)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49 : 5,833,862 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 4,748,539 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 239,978 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 39% (male 4,609,766; female 4,474,481) 15-64 years: 57% (male 6,593,525; female 6,703,482) 65 years and over : 4% (male 421,609; female 664,861) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

24.02 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

7.63 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

70.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.31 years male : 60.69 years female: 68.11 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Uzbekistani(s) adjective: Uzbekistani

Net migration rate

-2.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

23,467,724 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.35% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

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: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.92 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

limited illicit cultivator of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy; mostly for domestic consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia and Western Europe VANUATU

Airports

261 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 35 over 3,047 m : 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 226 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m : 216 (1994 est.)

Highways

total: 80,000 km paved : 69,760 km (note - these roads are said to be hard surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) unpaved: 10,240 km dirt (1995 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

Termiz (Amu Darya river)

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)

Waterways

1,100 (1990)