Uzbekistan, Central Asia State; 447,400 km2, 33 million residents (2019).Uzbekistan borders on Kazakhstan in the north and northwest, in the east to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, in the south to Afghanistan and in the west to Turkmenistan. Administratively, Uzbekistan is divided into 12 counties as well as the capital and the Karakal package. The capital is Tashkent (2.4 million residents, 2014).
Country facts
- Özbegiston Respublikasy / Uzbekistan
- Country abbreviation: UZ
- Area: 447 400 km2
- Population (2019): 33 million residents
- Capital: Tashkent
- Main language: Uzbek
- State: Republic
- Head of State: Shavkat Mirziyoyev (President)
- Head of Government: Abdulla Aripov (Prime Minister)
- Per capita GDP (2018): US $ 1,532
- GNI per capita (2018): USD 2,020
- Coin unit: 1 sum = 100 teen
- Currency code: UZS
- Country number (telephony): 998
- Internet domain name: uz
- Time difference compared to Sweden: +4
- National Day: September 1 (Independence Day, 1991)
Nature
- Land use: forest (3%), agricultural land (10%), other (87%)
- Highest mountain: Bajsuntaubergen (4,424 m asl)
Population
- Population density (2019): 74 residents per km2
- Natural population growth (2019): 1.7%; birthrate 22 ‰, death count 5 ‰
- Age structure (2019): 0-14 years (28%), 15-64 (68%), 65- (4%)
- Average life expectancy (2019): men 71 years, women 76 years
- Infant mortality (2019): 11 per 1,000 live births
- Population forecast 2050: 46 million residents
- HDI (2017): 0.710 (place 105 of 189)
- Urbanization rate (2019): 51%
- Most populous cities (2014): Tashkent (2.4 million residents), Samarkand (509,000), Namangan (475,700)
Business
- Industry’s contribution to GDP (2017): agriculture (18%), industry (34%), service (48%)
- Exports (2017): USD 11,480 million
- Main export products: natural gas, cotton, gold
- Main exporting countries: Switzerland, China, Russian Federation
- Imports (2017): US $ 11,420 million
- Main import products: machinery, food, chemicals
- Main importing countries: China, Russian Federation, Kazakhstan
- Railway network (2018): 4,600 km
The western part of Uzbekistan is a very flat lowland, while the eastern part consists of mountain scenery. Around the Aral Sea in the northwest stretch parts of the Turan plain, which in the east turns into the desert Kyzylkum. The fertile Fergana Valley and several oases have a network of irrigation channels. The country has a desert climate in the west and a steppe climate in the east.
The Constitution gives the President very great powers of power, and in practice the country is ruled by the President as well as the reformed Communist Party, which completely dominates political life. According to the constitution, the president is to be elected in general elections every seven years. Formally, the legislative power lies with Parliament, which has a five-year term. The country became independent in 1991, when the Soviet Union disbanded.
Uzbekistan has had major economic problems since independence. Prior to independence, large parts of the business community were built around cotton production. The country’s economy is still closely linked to the cotton industry, but the gas and mining industry (gold and uranium mining) is also of great importance.