Uzbekistan

Location

• Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan
• along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Tashkent	1,978,028	Capital
Andijon	747,800
Namangan	713,220
Samarkand	595,200
Yunusobod	352,000
Nukus	332,500
Fergana	299,200
Bukhara	280,187
Qarshi	278,300
Chilanzar	260,700

Size

• 172,741 square miles
• 447,400 square kilometers
• about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California

History

Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia, with 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 Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) dissolved 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, Islom KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms. MIRZIYOYEV was reelected in 2021 with 80% of the vote and again following a 2023 constitutional referendum with 87% of the vote.

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

Languages

Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%major-language sample(s): Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.note: in the semi-autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

Religions

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

Government

presidential republic; highly authoritarian

• Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992amendment process: 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
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: civil law systemnote: in 2020, the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility were reformed; a constitutional referendum in 2023 included additional criminal code reforms  
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 14 December 2016)head of government: Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by majority party in the Supreme Assembly but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the presidentmost recent election date: 9 July 2023 election results: 2023: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in snap election; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 87.7%, Robaxon Maxmudova (Adolat) 4.5%, Ulugbek Inoyatov (PDP) 4%, Abdushukur Xamzayev (Ecological Party) 3.8%2021: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 80.3%, Maqsuda VORISOVA (PDP) 6.7%, Alisher QODIROV (National Revival Democratic Party) 5.5%, Narzullo OBLOMURODOV (Ecological Party) 4.1%, Bahrom ABDUHALIMOV (Adolat) 3.4%expected date of next election: 2030
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): 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 a single 10-year term; the court chairman and deputies appointed for 10-year terms without the right to reelection. (Article 132 of the constitution)subordinate courts: regional, district, city, and town courts
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)legislative structure: bicameral

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• lower-middle income Central Asian economy; key exporter of natural gas, cotton, and gold; ongoing reform efforts to reduce state-owned sector dominance, attract foreign investment, and improve sustainability of cotton production
• Budget: revenues: $21.565 billion (2023 est.)expenditures: $25.953 billion (2023 est.)note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
• Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals
• Agricultural Products: milk, wheat, cotton, potatoes, carrots/turnips, tomatoes, grapes, watermelons, vegetables, apples (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 58.1% (2022 est.)arable land: 9.1% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 1% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 47.9% (2022 est.)forest: 8.5% (2022 est.)other: 33.5% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, aircraft (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: China 32%, Russia 17%, Kazakhstan 8%, S. Korea 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: gold, cotton yarn, garments, fertilizers, fabric (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Switzerland 34%, Russia 12%, UK 11%, China 7%, Turkey 6% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports