Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked nation in Central Asia, bordered by five landlocked neighbours. Its statistical identity is fixed by the United Nations: UN M49 code 860, ISO alpha-2 UZ, ISO alpha-3 UZB, UN region Asia, UN subregion Central Asia, and status as a UN member state. The World Bank lists the capital as Tashkent. These classification facts are stable and are maintained by the UN Statistics Division in the M49 overview and by the World Bank’s country API ( Classification is a statistical convention, not a political or territorial claim.

How to verify volatile figures

Figures for demographics, exchange rates and economic output change frequently. Do not treat any single number in this guide as live. Use the sources below and note the reference year when you cite them.

Population and demographics

The United Nations publishes estimates and projections in its World Population Prospects. That revision is the authoritative global source for size, age structure, fertility and mortality. The World Bank’s country page (data.worldbank.org/country/uzbekistan) provides an overview with recent figures from its own databases. For census-based numbers, the Statistics Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (stat.uz) publishes national census and survey data as well as monthly and annual demographic bulletins. The most recent census was conducted in 2023, though full results may be released over several years. Urbanisation is increasing, with roughly half of residents living in cities. Median age is low compared to Europe, reflecting a young populace. Always check the reference year of the figure you use; population estimates are projections, not exact counts, and are revised retrospectively between censuses.

Languages

Uzbek (Oʻzbek tili) is the official state language, written in Latin script for official purposes. Cyrillic still appears in some contexts. Karakalpak is recognised in the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan. Russian has no official status but remains widely used in administration, business, education and interethnic communication. Minority languages include Tajik, Kazakh and others. For precise language statistics, consult the Ethnologue entry for Uzbekistan or the CIA World Factbook; each source defines “speaker” differently, so note the year and survey basis. The 1989 Soviet census is still sometimes quoted, but it predates post-1991 language policy changes.

Currency

The currency is the Uzbekistani soʻm (UZS), ISO 4217 code UZS. Exchange rates change daily; for live rates, check the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan or a major financial data provider. Do not treat any single rate as fixed. Banknote design also changes, so cite the source institution and the exact date of any quote.

Capital

Tashkent is the capital and largest city, as well as the administrative, economic and cultural centre. The World Bank country profile and the UN M49 overview both list the capital as Tashkent. No territorial dispute over the capital’s location is currently recorded by the UN.

Government

Uzbekistan is a presidential republic, according to the CIA World Factbook. The president is head of state and head of government. The legal and administrative framework is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The political system includes an elected parliament, but international observers have noted restrictions on political competition. See Freedom House and your own foreign ministry for the most current assessment. For official structure of the executive, legislative and judicial branches, consult the government portal (gov.uz).

Economy

Uzbekistan’s economy relies on natural gas, gold, cotton, and increasingly on manufacturing and services. Since the late 2010s, the authorities have pursued market-oriented reforms, including currency liberalisation and privatisation. The World Bank classifies it as a lower-middle-income nation (reference year 2023); the income classification is revised annually and should be checked against the current World Bank classification table. GDP per capita (PPP, current international dollars) is published by the World Bank. For economic data, use the World Bank country API, the IMF Article IV reports and the national statistical committee. GDP, inflation and unemployment figures are revised, so cite the dataset vintage and reference year.

Internet and digital

The country code top-level domain is .uz, and the IANA time zone is Asia/Tashkent (UTC+5). Internet penetration figures vary by source and year; consult the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the latest data.

Travel and entry

Do not rely on third-party summaries. Check your own government’s travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre for entry rules, visa requirements and safety information. Official sources change without notice.

Stable classification facts

These identifiers come from the UN M49 overview and the World Bank country API. They are statistical codes, not political endorsements of borders or sovereignty.

• UN M49 code: 860
• ISO alpha-2: UZ
• ISO alpha-3: UZB
• UN region: Asia
• UN subregion: Central Asia
• UN member state: Yes
• World Bank capital field: Tashkent

Data verification

For current figures, query the World Bank API directly: The UN M49 overview lists the standard codes and regional groupings. For demographic estimates, use UN World Population Prospects. For health indicators, use WHO. For cultural heritage, use UNESCO. For economic projections, use IMF Article IV reports. For national data, use the Statistical Agency of Uzbekistan (O‘ZSTAT) and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

For verification steps, see the Source-Literacy Guide. For country comparisons, see the Country Comparison Guide. For understanding statistical vs political definitions, see the Classification vs Reality guide.