Uzbekistan

republicIndependence 31 August 1991 from the Soviet Union

Uzbekistan as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTashkent (Toshkent)

Area447,400 km2

Populationas each edition published it

21.63 million July 1992 · 37.02m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.17% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 21.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 68.36 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.2 children per woman 1992 · 2.6 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

65 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 17.6 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $2,430 in 1994

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -10% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

447,400km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than California

Coastline

0km

note: Uzbekistan does border the Aral Sea (420 km)Maritime claims: none - landlocked

Land boundaries

6,221km total

Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Climate

mostly mid latitude desert; semiarid grassland in east

Terrain

mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes;
Fergana valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan;
shrinking Aral Sea in west

Natural resources

natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use

NA% arable land;
NA% permanent crops;
NA% meadows and pastures;
NA% forest and woodland;
NA% other;
includes NA% irrigated

Environment

drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts

People

14 fields

Population

21,626,784

(July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)

Per 1,000 population

Birth

34 (1992)Death

7 (1992)Net migration

-2

Net migration: (1992); note - 179,000 persons left Uzbekistan in 1990

Net migration rate

-2 migrants/1,000 population (1992); note - 179,000 persons left Uzbekistan in 1990

Ethnic divisions

Uzbek 71%, Russian 8%, Tajik 5%, other 16%; note - includes 70% of Crimean Tatars since their World War II deportation

Religions

Muslim (mostly Sunnis) 75-80%, other (includes Farsi) 20-25%

Labor force

7,941,000; agriculture and forestry 39%, industry and construction 24%, other 37% (1990)

Government

Republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

86%

Islam KARIMOV 86%Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%other 2%

Administrative divisions

11 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast') and 1 autonomous republic* (avtomnaya respublika);
Andizhan, Bukhara, Dzhizak, Fergana, Karakalpakstan* (Nukus), Kashkadar'ya (Karshi), Khorezm (Urgench), Namangan, Samarkand, Surkhandar'ya (Termez), Syrdar'ya (Gulistan), Tashkent;
note - an administrative division has the same name as its administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence

31 August 1991 from the Soviet Union; note - formerly Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in the Soviet Union

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Islam KARIMOV (since 29 December 1991)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Abdulhashim MUTALOV (since 13 January 1992)

Political parties and leaders

People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (formerly Communist Party), Islam KARIMOV, chairman; ERK, Mukhammad SOLIKH, chairman

Elections

President:: last held 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1996); results - Islam KARIMOV 86%, Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2%
Supreme Soviet:: last held NA March 1990 (next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (500 total) Communist 450, ERK 10, other 40

Other political or pressure groups

Birlik (Unity) Abdurakhim PULATOV, chairman; Islamic Renaissance Party, Abdulljon UTAEV, chairman

Diplomatic representation

US:: Charge d'Affaires Michael MOZUR;
Embassy at Hotel Uzbekistan, ;55 Chelendarskaya, Tashkent (mailing address is APO AE 09862);
telephone [8] (011) 7-3712-33-15-74

Flag

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

Economy

Although Uzbekistan accounted for only 3.4% of total Soviet output, it | produced two-thirds of the USSR's cotton.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

83%

(1991)

External debt

$2billion

(end of 1991 est.)

Although Uzbekistan accounted for only 3.4% of total Soviet output, it produced two-thirds of the USSR's cotton. Moscow's push for ever-increasing amounts of cotton included massive irrigation projects which caused extensive environmental damage to the Aral Sea and rivers of the republic.

Furthermore, the lavish use of chemical fertilizers has caused extensive pollution and widespread health problems. Recently the republic has sought to encourage food production at the expense of cotton. The small industrial sector specializes in such items as agricultural machinery, mineral fertilizers, vegetable oil, and electrical cranes.

Uzbekistan also has some important natural resources including gold (about 30% of Soviet production), uranium, and natural gas. The Uzbek government has encouraged land reform but has shied away from other aspects of economic reform.

GDP

purchasing power equivalent - $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate -0.9% (1991)

Unemployment rate

Budget

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

Exports

$1.5 billion (1990)

commodities:: cotton, gold, textiles, chemical and mineral fertilizers, vegetable oil
partners:: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe

Imports

$3.5 billion (1990)

commodities:: machinery and parts, consumer durables, grain, other foods
partners:: principally other former Soviet republics

Industrial production

growth rate 1.8% (1991)

Electricity

11,400,000 kW capacity; 54,100 million kWh produced, 2,662 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

chemical and mineral fertilizers, vegetable oil, textiles

Agriculture

cotton, with much smaller production of grain, fruits, vegetables, and livestock

Illicit drugs

illicit producers of cannabis and opium;
mostly for domestic consumption;
status of government eradication programs unknown;
used as transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Economic aid

$NA

Currency

as of May 1992, retaining ruble as currency

Exchange rates

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Networkskm

Highways

78,400Railroads

3,460 (1990)

Highways: (1990); 67,000 km hard-surfaced, 11,400 km earth · Railroads: (includes NA km electrified); does not include industrial lines

Railroads

3,460 km all 1.520-meter gauge (includes NA km electrified); does not include industrial lines (1990)

Highways

78,400 km total (1990); 67,000 km hard-surfaced, 11,400 km earth

Inland waterways

NA km

Pipelines

Ports

none - landlocked

Civil air

Airports

Telecommunications

poorly developed;
telephone density NA;
linked by landline or microwave with CIS member states and by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch to other countries;
satellite earth stations - Orbita and INTELSAT (TV receive only)