CapitalTashkent (Toshkent)
Population37,015,151
Area447,400 km²
GDP per capita$10,500
LanguagesUzbek, Russian, Tajik, other
CurrencyUzbekistani soum
Life Expectancy76.2 yr
Governmentpresidential republic; strongly authoritarian
Introduction
Background
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.
Geography
Area
land
425,400 sq km
water
22,000 sq km
total
447,400 sq km
Climate
predominantly mid-latitude desert characterized by lengthy, hot summers and mild winters; semiarid grasslands are found in the eastern region
Terrain
largely flat to gently rolling sandy desert featuring dunes; expansive, flat, heavily irrigated river valleys along the courses of the Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zaravshan; the Fergana Valley located in the east is encircled by the mountainous terrains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; the Aral Sea in the west is diminishing
Land use
other
31.8% (2023 est.)
forest
8.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
58.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 47.9% (2023 est.)
Location
Central Asia, situated north of Turkmenistan and south of Kazakhstan
Coastline
0 km (doubly landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
Sariqamish Kuli -12 m
highest point
Xazrat Sulton Tog' 4,643 m
Irrigated land
37,305 sq km (2022)
Map references
Asia
Land boundaries
total
6,893 km
border countries
Afghanistan 144 km; Kazakhstan 2,330 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,314 km; Tajikistan 1,312 km; Turkmenistan 1,793 km
Maritime claims
none (doubly landlocked)
Natural hazards
earthquakes; flooding; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; drought conditions
Geography - note
alongside Liechtenstein, it ranks as one of the only two doubly landlocked nations globally
Natural resources
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Area - comparative
approximately four times larger than Virginia; marginally bigger than California
Geographic coordinates
41 00 N, 64 00 E
Population distribution
the majority of the populace is located in the fertile Fergana Valley, which is the easternmost part of the nation; while the southern region has notable population clusters, the central and western deserts remain sparsely populated
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s)
Aral Sea (shared with Kazakhstan) - largely dried up
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage
(Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river mouth (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan) - 2,620 km
note: [s] after a country name denotes river source; [m] after a country name denotes river mouth
People & Society
Literacy
male
100% (2022 est.)
female
100% (2022 est.)
total population
100% (2022 est.)
Languages
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.
Religions
Muslim 88% (predominantly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Sex ratio
at birth
1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1 male(s)/female
total population
1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.79 male(s)/female
Birth rate
18.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
28.1 years
total
29.2 years (2025 est.)
female
29.8 years
Population
male
18,576,048
total
37,015,151 (2025 est.)
female
18,439,103
Nationality
noun
Uzbekistani
adjective
Uzbekistani
Tobacco use
male
30.2% (2025 est.)
total
15.4% (2025 est.)
female
1% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
50.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
29.6% (male 5,597,947/female 5,213,403)
15-64 years
63.7% (male 11,649,017/female 11,617,411)
65 years and over
6.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,077,849/female 1,364,966)
Ethnic groups
Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.9% (2017 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15
0.2% (2022)
women married by age 18
3.4% (2022)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
57.3 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
46.3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
9 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
11.1 (2025 est.)
Physician density
2.81 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
7.7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
7.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
4.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.6 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 95.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 98% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 4.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 2% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
22.1% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
21.1 deaths/1,000 live births
total
17.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
15.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
1.26% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.25 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
the majority of the population is situated in the fertile Fergana Valley, located in the easternmost section of the country; while the southern region has notable population centers, the central and western desert areas are sparsely inhabited
Life expectancy at birth
male
73.6 years
female
79 years
total population
76.2 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
26 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
2.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.603 million TASHKENT (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
16.6% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
23.7 years (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
74.7% (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1.8% (2021 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
13 years (2024 est.)
total
13 years (2024 est.)
female
13 years (2024 est.)
Environment
Climate
predominantly mid-latitude desert characterized by extended, hot summers and moderate winters; semiarid grasslands located in the eastern region
Land use
other
31.8% (2023 est.)
forest
8.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
58.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 47.9% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
50.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane emissions
other
4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste
261.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
energy
848.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture
868.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
4 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
31.6% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
increasing levels of chemical pesticides and natural salts within the diminishing Aral Sea; desertification; contamination of water and soil salinity due to industrial waste and extensive application of fertilizers and pesticides; soil pollution resulting from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals
Total water withdrawal
municipal
2.3 billion cubic meters (2022)
industrial
1.2 billion cubic meters (2022)
agricultural
41 billion cubic meters (2022)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
110.992 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
84.71 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
12.845 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
13.437 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
46.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
48.87 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: three horizontal stripes of equal width in blue (top), white, and green, with slender red borders; features a vertical white crescent and twelve five-pointed white stars located in the upper-left corner of the blue band
meaning: blue symbolizes the Turkic peoples and the sky, white represents peace and the pursuit of purity in thoughts and actions, and green denotes nature and Islam; the red stripes signify the essential energy of all living beings; the crescent embodies Islam, while the twelve stars represent the months and constellations in the Uzbek calendar.
Capital
name
Tashkent (Toshkent)
etymology
The current designation of this ancient city was first recorded in the 11th century, originating from the Sogdian (Turkic) terms tash (stone) and kent (town); it appears in historical records from the 5th or 4th century B.C. under the name Chach or Shash.
time difference
UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
41 19 N, 69 15 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Uzbekistan
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992
amendment process
proposed by the Supreme Assembly or through a referendum; to pass, it requires a two-thirds majority vote from both chambers of the Assembly or approval in a referendum.
Country name
former
Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology
the name derives from the local populace, the Uzbeks, which is believed to trace back to Mongol leader Ghiyath ad-Din Muhammad UZBEK; the Persian suffix -stan translates to "country."
local long form
O'zbekiston Respublikasi
local short form
O'zbekiston
conventional long form
Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form
Uzbekistan
Independence
1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Legal system
civil law system
Government type
presidential republic; strongly authoritarian
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (composed of 67 judges divided into sections for administrative, civil, criminal, and economic matters); Constitutional Court (comprised of 7 judges)
subordinate courts
regional, district, city, and town courts
judge selection and term of office
judges for the highest courts are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges serve a single 10-year term; the court chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed for 10-year terms without the possibility of reelection. (Article 132 of the constitution)
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)
chief of state
President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 14 December 2016)
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%
head of government
Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016)
most recent election date
9 July 2023
election/appointment process
the president is directly elected by an absolute majority popular vote, conducted in two rounds if necessary, for a 7-year term (can be re-elected once); the prime minister is nominated by the majority party in the Supreme Assembly but is appointed along with ministers and deputy ministers by the president.
expected date of next election
2030
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
National color(s)
blue, white, red, green
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
7 (5 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Itchan Kala (c); Historic Bukhara (c); Historic Shakhrisyabz (c); Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures (c); Western Tien Shan (n); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c)
Political parties
Ecological Party of Uzbekistan or EPU
Justice Social Democratic Party or ASDP
People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or PDP
Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party or UzLiDep
Uzbekistan National Revival Democratic Party or UzMTDP
Legislative branch
legislature name
Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
history
adopted in 1992; following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan retained the melody of its Soviet-era anthem while introducing new lyrics.
lyrics/music
Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV
National symbol(s)
khumo (mythical bird)
Administrative divisions
12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 3 cities** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati [Bukhara Province], Farg'ona Viloyati [Fergana Province], Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Shahri, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Shahri [Samarkand City], Samarqand Viloyati [Samarkand Province], Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Nurafshon], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
Legislative Chamber (Qonunchilik palatasi)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
150 (all directly elected)
electoral system
mixed system
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
11/7/2024 to 11/12/2024
expected date of next election
October 2029
percentage of women in chamber
38%
parties elected and seats per party
Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businesspeople - Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP) (64); Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party (O'zMTDP) (29); Social Democratic Party ("Adolat" SDP) (21); People's Democratic Party (XDP) (20); Ecological Party (O'EP) (16)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate (Senat)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
65 (56 indirectly elected; 9 appointed)
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
10/27/2024
expected date of next election
November 2029
percentage of women in chamber
24.6%
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 293-6804
chancery
1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone
[1] (202) 887-5300
chief of mission
Ambassador Furqat SIDIKOV (since 19 April 2023)
consulate(s) general
New York
email address and website
[email protected]
https://www.uzbekistan.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[998] 78-120-6335
embassy
3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent
telephone
[998] 78-120-5450
mailing address
7110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC 20521-7110
chief of mission
Ambassador Jonathan HENICK (since 14 October 2022)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://uz.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB, CICA, CIS, EAEU (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EEU (observer), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
International law organization participation
has not submitted a declaration for ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$21.565 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
$25.953 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$20.966 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$25.05 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$26.173 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$35.643 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$42.646 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$43.624 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
textiles, food processing, machinery manufacturing, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals
Labor force
13.974 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
10.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
17.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
13.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
14.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
10,054.261 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
10,609.464 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
11,050.145 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
11,734.833 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
12,652.287 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$25.714 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
lower-middle income economy in Central Asia; significant exporter of natural gas, cotton, and gold; ongoing initiatives aim to decrease the dominance of the state-owned sector, encourage foreign investments, and enhance the sustainability of cotton production
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
4.5% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
4.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
4.5% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
Switzerland 34%, Russia 12%, UK 11%, China 7%, Turkey 6% (2023)
Imports - partners
China 32%, Russia 17%, Kazakhstan 8%, S. Korea 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$9,600 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$10,000 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$10,500 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
6.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
6.5% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
milk, wheat, cotton, potatoes, carrots/turnips, tomatoes, grapes, watermelons, vegetables, apples (2023)
Exports - commodities
gold, cotton yarn, garments, fertilizers, fabric (2023)
Imports - commodities
cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, refined petroleum, aircraft (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$2.847 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$7.799 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$5.738 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
11.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$114.965 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
68% (2024 est.)
government consumption
13.9% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
-3.8% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
37.1% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
22.8% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-38% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
11% (2023 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
46.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
3.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
11.4% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
10% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
9.6% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
7.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$335.678 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$356.797 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$379.989 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
7.2% (2024 est.)
total
10.9% (2024 est.)
female
18.1% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$35.774 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$34.558 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$41.237 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
31.8% (2024 est.)
services
45.2% (2024 est.)
agriculture
18.3% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
2.1% (2023 est.)
highest 10%
25.3% (2023 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
34.5 (2023 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
3.521 million metric tons (2023 est.)
production
6.379 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
8.941 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves
1.375 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
64,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
594 million barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
111,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
exports
2.043 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports
4.977 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
75.753 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
17.901 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
3.433 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
exports
1.308 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports
2.514 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production
43.249 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
44.455 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
1.841 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
55.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
90.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
8.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
89% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
media operated by the state; 17 broadcasters owned by the state, comprising 13 television and 4 radio services, offering national coverage; approximately 20 television stations that are privately owned, managed by local authorities, providing local broadcasts; privately owned television stations must rent transmitters from the state-owned Republic TV and Radio Industry Corporation (2019)
Internet country code
.uz
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
6.147 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
17 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
40.2 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1,110 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
10.8 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
30 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Airports
74 (2025)
Railways
total
4,642 km (2018)
broad gauge
4,642 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified)
Heliports
3 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
UK
Military & Security
Military - note
The responsibilities of the military encompass the protection of the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the safeguarding of its borders, and support for internal security; issues of regional security and international terrorism are also pertinent. Uzbekistan became a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) during the 1990s but withdrew in 1999. It rejoined in 2006, only to exit once more in 2012. Despite its non-membership in the CSTO, Uzbekistan maintains defense relations with Russia, which includes joint military drills and collaborative efforts in defense industries. Additionally, it has defense partnerships with various regional nations such as Azerbaijan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Turkey. Uzbekistan is a participant in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and engages in SCO training exercises (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2015
2.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Military Expenditures 2016
2.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Military Expenditures 2017
2.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
Military Expenditures 2018
2.9% of GDP (2018 est.)
Military Expenditures 2019
2.8% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard
Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops, Border Guards, Police (2024)
Military service age and obligation
Ages 18-30 are eligible for voluntary/contract service for both men and women; men aged 18-27 are required to serve a compulsory military term of 12 months (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The Uzbek Armed Forces primarily utilize Russian or Soviet-era weaponry, supplemented by smaller quantities of equipment from suppliers including China, Turkey, and the United States. Uzbekistan possesses a modest defense industry that focuses on the repair and maintenance of aircraft and armored vehicles, as well as the production of light armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles/drones, and other military equipment (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
Limited information is available; estimated active Armed Forces personnel number around 50,000 (2025).
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic Jihad Union (IJU); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
8,505 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
20,000 (2024 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Space Research and Technology Agency (UzCosmos or UzSpace; founded in 2019) (2025)
Space program overview
features a modest yet expanding space initiative aimed at procuring satellites and enhancing the nation's space-related industries and technologies across essential areas such as cartography, data analysis, environmental and disaster monitoring, land utilization, resource management, and telecommunications; acknowledged for its astronomy initiatives; partakes in international space affiliations; collaborates with foreign space agencies and commercial enterprises from a diverse array of nations, including Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, and the UAE (2025)
Key space-program milestones
2018 - entered into space collaboration agreements with France and India
2022 - established a space cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan
2025 - Uzbek engineers commenced a two-year satellite development training program in Japan aimed at constructing the country’s inaugural satellite; signed a space cooperation agreement with South Korea; unveiled a 10-year national space program
