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The Republic of Uzbekistan is a country in Central Asia. It has borders with Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
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| National motto: none | |||||
| Official language | Uzbek | ||||
| Capital | Tashkent | ||||
| President | Islam Karimov | ||||
| Prime Minister | Shavkat Mirziyayev | ||||
| Area — Total — % water |
Ranked 55th 447,400 km² 4.9% | ||||
| Population — Total (2002) — Density |
Ranked 41st 25,563,441 57/km² | ||||
| Independence — Declared — Recognised |
From Soviet Union September 1, 1991 (Year) | ||||
| Currency | Uzbekistani som (UKS) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC +5 | ||||
| National anthem | National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan | ||||
| Internet TLD | .UZ | ||||
| Calling Code | 998 | ||||
Main article: History of Uzbekistan
Main article: Politics of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is divided into 12 regions (viloyatlar; singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar):
note:
administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions and alternate spellings have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Main article: Geography of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a dry, double-landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It is one of two double-landlocked countries in the world - the other being Liechtenstein.
See also: List of cities in Uzbekistan
Main article: Economy of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan was one of the poorest areas of the former Soviet Union with more than 60% of its population living in densely populated 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 began to 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. 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. Uzbekistan has responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by tightening export and currency controls within its already largely closed economy. Economic policies that have repelled foreign investment are a major factor in the economy's stagnation. A growing debt burden, persistent inflation, and a poor business climate cloud growth prospects in 2000.
Main article: Demographics of Uzbekistan
Main article: Culture of Uzbekistan