UZBEKISTAN. Republic of Uzbekistan
A state in the center and northwest parts of Central Asia, bordered to the northwest by the Aral Sea. Area - 447.4 thousand km². Capital - Tashkent (2.5 million), largest cities: Samarkand, Andijan, Namangan, Kokand, Bukhara, Fergana. In administrative-territorial terms, it is divided into 12 regions; includes the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Population - about 26 million (2004); about 75% - Uzbeks, 3.9% - Russians, 2.1% - Karakalpaks. There are also Tajiks, Kazakhs, Tatars, Koreans, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Jews, and other ethnic groups living in Uzbekistan. Urban population - 38%, rural - 62%. The state language is Uzbek. Religion: the majority of believers are Sunni Muslims. Part of the population practices Orthodoxy, and there are followers of other confessions. The currency is the sum.
Diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation were established on March 18, 1992.
In 1992, a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation was signed between the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan, and in 1998
a Treaty on Deepening Economic Cooperation for 1998-2007 was signed, on June 16, 2004 - a Treaty on Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
National holiday - September 1 - Independence Day (1991).
Uzbekistan is a member of the UN, CIS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, OSCE, and other international organizations. In October 2005, Uzbekistan applied for membership in the Eurasian Economic Community.
According to the 1992 Constitution, Uzbekistan is a sovereign democratic republic. The head of state is the president, elected by universal direct and secret ballot (since December 1991 - I. A. Karimov, re-elected in 2000). After the 2002 referendum, the constitutional term of office for the president was extended from 5 to 7 years. The highest body exercising legislative functions is the Oliy Majlis. In 2004-05, a reform of the legislative power was carried out, resulting in the transformation of the unicameral parliament into a bicameral one. The legislative chamber (lower house, 120 deputies; speaker - E. X. Khalilov) and the Senate (upper house, 100 senators; chairman - M. Sh. Sharifhodjaev) of the Oliy Majlis were formed. The term of office for the legislative chamber and the Senate is 5 years. The highest executive authority is the Cabinet of Ministers. The Prime Minister is Sh. M. Mirziyoyev.
Main political parties: Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, National Democratic Party "Fidokorlar" ("Selfless"), Democratic Party "Milliy tiklanish" ("National Revival"), Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan "Adolat".
Starting from the 1st millennium BC, slaveholding and then feudal states arose and disappeared on the territory of modern Uzbekistan, with numerous conquerors (Turks, Arabs, Tatar-Mongols, etc.) succeeding one another. By the end of the 12th century, the process of forming the Turkic-speaking Uzbek ethnicity was largely completed. In the 14th-15th centuries, the territory of Uzbekistan was the most developed part of Central Asia; the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Termez were major craft-trade and cultural centers known far beyond Central Asia. In the 16th-18th centuries, three states were formed on its territory - the Bukhara, Khiva, and Kokand Khanates. This period also marks the beginning of their trade and diplomatic relations with Russia. In the 1860s, Russia began its advance into Central Asia.
In 1867, the Turkestan General Governorship was established on the territory occupied by Russian troops. By the end of the 1880s, the territory of modern Uzbekistan was part of the Syrdarya, Samarkand, and Fergana regions of the Turkestan General Governorship, as well as the Khiva and Bukhara Khanates, which recognized the protectorate of Russia. From November 1917 to March 1918, Soviet power was established in the Turkestan region. The main part of the territory became part of the Turkestan ASSR. In 1920, the Khorezm and Bukhara People's Soviet Republics were formed. In 1924, the Uzbek SSR was established. In 1925, it became part of the USSR as a union republic.
On June 20, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek SSR adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Uzbek SSR. On August 31, 1991, the highest legislative body of the republic proclaimed the state independence of Uzbekistan and the formation of an independent sovereign state - the Republic of Uzbekistan.
A large number of mineral resources have been identified in Uzbekistan - about 100 types of mineral raw materials. In terms of confirmed reserves of such minerals as gold, uranium, copper, natural gas, tungsten, potassium salts, phosphorites, and kaolins, Uzbekistan occupies leading positions not only in the CIS but also in the world. Thus, in terms of natural gold reserves, the republic ranks 4th in the world, and in terms of its extraction - 7th, and for copper reserves - 10th and 11th places, respectively.
Uzbekistan is an agrarian-industrial country. Agriculture accounts for about 30% of the total production volume, industry - 24.3%, construction - 9.7%, with a significant share in the service sector. In 2004, the GDP of the republic grew by 7.7% and amounted to 11.5 billion dollars. The level of industrial production increased by 9.4%, agricultural production - by 10.1%, and construction - by 5.2%.
The country's leadership is taking measures aimed at liberalizing credit and financial activities, attracting foreign investments, and increasing the role of the private sector in the economy. Special attention is given to increasing the capacity of processing industries - oil and gas chemistry, textile industry, and automotive manufacturing, the development of which is progressing at an accelerated pace.
Natural gas (over 70%) occupies a central place in the country's fuel balance. Uzbekistan ranks 3rd in the CIS in terms of gas production. Oil, lignite, and hard coal are also extracted. Large enterprises in non-ferrous metallurgy operate based on developed mineral deposits. The main products of the chemical and petrochemical industries are mineral fertilizers, as well as synthetic fibers, plastics, sulfuric acid, varnishes, paints, and others. About 1/3 of industrial production comes from the light and food industries.
Agriculture is well developed. Its basis is irrigated agriculture; specialization - cotton growing (the country ranks 5th in the world in cotton fiber production and 2nd in its export). Wheat, barley, rice, and corn are grown on irrigated lands. Uzbekistan is a major producer of kenaf, vegetables, melons, fruits, and grapes. In recent years, measures have been taken to overcome the imbalances in agricultural development and its one-sided orientation towards cotton cultivation. The task of ensuring the republic's food self-sufficiency is being set and addressed. In animal husbandry, sheep breeding holds a central place. The meat and dairy industry is developing. One of the oldest industries is sericulture.
The labor force numbers about 14 million people, of which 30% are youth aged 15-23 (according to official data, 0.4% of the working-age population is unemployed, with most of the unemployed living in rural areas), and there is a problem of internal and external labor migration.
Uzbekistan has a relatively developed transport network. About 80% of freight turnover is accounted for by railways (6,700 km). The length of roads is 80,000 km (86% - with a hard surface).
Uzbekistan is actively developing foreign trade relations with Russia, the USA, the Republic of Korea, and Germany. The main export items are cotton fiber, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, energy carriers; imports include machinery and equipment, consumer goods. The share of CIS countries in foreign trade turnover is approximately 40%. Russia continues to be one of Uzbekistan's main trading partners (about 18% of trade turnover).
In 2004, the volume of Uzbekistan's foreign trade increased by 34.5% compared to 2003, reaching 7.7 billion dollars. There was an increase in the volume of exports of finished products. The republic primarily imports chemical products, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, machinery and equipment, services, and food. In 2003, a trend towards increasing Uzbekistan's trade turnover with Russia was noted - 997.8 million dollars (an increase of 25%), in 2004 - 1.379 billion dollars.
The main items of Russian exports are mechanical and electrical equipment, vehicles, ferrous metals and products made from them, chemical products, pharmaceuticals, and timber. In the structure of Russian imports, cotton, food products, including fruits and vegetables, and certain types of machinery and technical products predominate.
Leading universities in Uzbekistan: National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulughbek, Tashkent State Technical University named after A. R. Beruni, Tashkent State Economic University, Tashkent State Pedagogical University named after Nizami, Tashkent Medical Academy, Uzbek State University of World Languages, University of World Economy and Diplomacy. There are over 10,000 general education schools in the country.
More than 700 various media outlets operate in Uzbekistan, including 500 newspapers, 157 magazines, 4 state radio channels, 30 television studios and companies, 15 television and radio companies, and 4 news agencies. A large number of newspapers and magazines are published in both Uzbek and Russian. The process of developing information technologies is actively underway.
Television broadcasts are transmitted from Tashkent in Uzbek and Russian languages. There is a network of regional television stations. Radio broadcasting is conducted in Uzbek, Russian, and other languages.
