Uzbekistan
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Name: Republic of Uzbekistan Introduction: The name Uzbek is said to be self-referential from the period the Russians first encountered the people, parsing as ozum bek, or "I am the lord (or ruler)" and they used it both for the people and the nation. Russia ruled Uzbekistan in the late 19th century and stiff resistance to the Red Army after the First World War was suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of cotton (white gold) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, all this made the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. After the independence in 1991, the country is trying to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Location: In Central Asia, north of Afghanistan Borders: It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. Terrain: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% of the territory is intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It is mostly flat with sandy desert and dunes. It has broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon. Fergana Valley in east is surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, shrinking Aral Sea in west. Climate: Midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters with semiarid grassland in east. Ethnic Group: Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5% and other 2.5%. Religion: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9% and other 3%. Area: 447,400 sq km Capital: Tashkent or Toshkent Currency: Uzbekistani Soum (UZS) Life Expectancy: Total population - 64.58 years, male - 61.19 years and female - 68.14 years (2006 est) Population: 27,307,134 (July 2006 est) Population Growth Rate: 1.7% (2006 est) Populations bellow Poverty Line: 28% (2004 est) Language: The official language is Uzbek spoken by 74.3%, other languages spoken are; Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%. Literacy: Total population - 99.3%, male - 99.6% and female - 99% (2003 est) Internet TLD: .uz Calling Code: +998 Nationality: Uzbekistani Independence: On 1 September 1991, from Soviet Union. Government: Republic with Authoritarian Presidential rule Constitution: It was adopted on 8 December 1992. Executive Branch: President is Chief of the State and is elected by popular vote for 7 year term. Prime minister is the head of the government. Cabinet of Ministers are appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly. Legislative Branch: Bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper House or Senate with 100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils to serve for five-year terms and 16 are appointed by the president. A Lower House or Legislative Chamber with 120 seats; elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms. Judiciary Branch: Supreme Court is the highest court with the judges nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly. Military Branch: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces and National Guard. Legal System: Evolution of Soviet civil law, it still lacks independent judicial system. Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal National Flag: It was adopted on Nov 18 of 1991 and has three equal horizontal bands of blue on top representing the sky, white symbolizes justice or main crop of the country that is cotton , and green representing hospitality separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon (which means the reappearance of Uzbekistan from Russia, it may also represent Islam) and 12 white stars (shows 12 administrative divisions or 12 months or 12 zodiac) in the upper hoist-side quadrant. National Anthem: National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan National Holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991) Coat of Arm: The coat of arms was adopted on July 2 of 1992 and is in the form of a circle which bears the national colors blue, white, and green. On the left there is a cotton plant and to the right wheat borders the coat of arm. On the top is a star of Rub El Hizb (?), a symbol of Islam, to which a majority of Uzbeks profess. In the center is a khumo, symbol of happiness and love of freedom. In the background a birds eye view of Uzbekistan is painted. The rising sun with rays around the image is over the mountains and two rivers behind the bird leads toward the mountain. Economy: Following independence in September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase its control over business decisions. There is an increasing inequality of income distribution which hurts the lower ranks of society since independence. Uzbekistan is now the world's fourth-largest producer and the world's second-largest exporter of cotton and the seventh world major producer of gold. In December 2005, Russia opened a "Trade House" to support and develop Russian-Uzbek business and economic ties. GDP Total: $ 50.395 billion (2005 est) GDP Per capita: $ 2,000 (2005 est) GDP Growth Rate: 7.2% (2005 est) Agriculture: Cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain and livestock. Industries: Textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold petroleum, natural gas and chemicals. Export: Cotton, gold, energy products, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products and automobiles. Import: Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals and metals. |