Head of Government:
Prime Minister Abdulkhashim MUTALOV (since 13 January 1992), First Deputy
Prime Minister Ismail Hakimovitch DJURABEKOV (since NA); Supreme Soviet
Chairman Shavkat Muhitdinovitch YULDASHEV (since NA June 1991)
Member of:
CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, IDA, IMF, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Muhammed Babir MALIKOV
chancery:
200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: (202) 778-0107
FAX:
(202) 861-0472
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Henry L. CLARKE
embassy:
55 Chelanzanskaya, Tashkent
mailing address:
APO AE 09862
telephone:
[7] (3712) 77-14-07
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by
red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in the upper hoist-side
quadrant
*Uzbekistan, Economy
Overview:
Although Uzbekistan accounted for only 3.4% of total Soviet output, it
produced two-thirds of the USSR's cotton and ranks as the fourth largest
global producer. Moscow's push for ever-increasing amounts of cotton had
included massive irrigation projects which caused extensive environmental
damage to the Aral Sea and rivers of the republic. Furthermore, the lavish
use of chemical fertilizers has caused extensive pollution and widespread
health problems. Recently the republic has sought to encourage food
production at the expense of cotton. The small industrial sector specializes
in such items as agricultural machinery, mineral fertilizers, vegetable oil,
and bridge cranes. Uzbekistan also has some important natural resources
including gold (about 30% of former Soviet production), uranium, and natural
gas. The Uzbek Government has encouraged some land reform but has shied away
from other aspects of economic reform. Output and living standards continued
to fall in 1992 largely because of the cumulative impact of disruptions in
supply that have followed the dismemberment of the USSR.
National product:
GDP $NA
National product real growth rate:
-10% (1992)
National product per capita:
$NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
at least 17% per month (first quarter 1993)
Unemployment rate:
0.1% includes only officially registered unemployed; there are also large
numbers of underemployed workers
Budget:
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
$900 million to outside the successor states of the former USSR (1992)
commodities:
cotton, gold, textiles, chemical and mineral fertilizers, vegetable oil
partners:
Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe
Imports:
$900 million from outside the successor states of the former USSR (1992)
commodities:
machinery and parts, consumer durables, grain, other foods
partners:
principally other former Soviet republics
External debt:
$2 billion (end 1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate -6%
Electricity:
11,950,000 kW capacity; 50,900 million kWh produced, 2,300 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
chemical and mineral fertilizers, vegetable oil, textiles
Agriculture:
cotton, with much smaller production of grain, fruits, vegetables, and
livestock
Illicit drugs:
illicit producers of cannabis and opium; mostly for CIS consumption; limited
government eradication programs; used as transshipment points for illicit
drugs to Western Europe
Economic aid:
$950 million official aid commitments by foreign donors (1992)
*Uzbekistan, Economy
Currency:
retaining Russian ruble as currency (January 1993)
Exchange rates:
rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to wide fluctuations
Fiscal year:
calendar year
*Uzbekistan, Communications
Railroads:
3,460 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways:
78,400 km total; 67,000 km hard-surfaced, 11,400 km earth (1990)
Pipelines:
crude oil 250 km, petroleum products 40 km, natural gas 810 km (1992)
Ports:
none; landlocked
Airports:
totol:
265
useable:
74
with permanent-surface runways:
30
with runways over 3,659 m: 2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
20
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
19
Telecommunications:
poorly developed; NMT-450 analog cellular network established in Tashkent;
1.4 million telephone lines with 7.2 lines per 100 persons (1992); linked by
landline or microwave with CIS member states and by leased connection via
the Moscow international gateway switch to other countries; satellite earth
stations - Orbita and INTELSAT (TV receive only); new intelsat earth station
provides TV receive only capability for Turkish broadcasts; new satellite
ground station also installed in Tashkent for direct linkage to Tokyo.
*Uzbekistan, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, National Guard, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 5,214,075; fit for military service 4,272,398; reach
military age (18) annually 218,916 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
*Vanuatu, Geography