Malta (2001) | Uzbekistan (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (administered directly from Valletta) | 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
19.98% (male 40,791; female 38,062) 15-64 years: 67.49% (male 133,914; female 132,402) 65 years and over: 12.53% (male 20,643; female 28,771) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 35.5% (male 4,617,110; female 4,457,065)
15-64 years: 59.8% (male 7,567,510; female 7,726,753) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 482,137; female 712,866) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs | cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 267 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 257
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 222 (2002) |
Area | total:
316 sq km land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 447,400 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than California |
Background | Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Over the last 15 years, the island has become a major freight transshipment point, financial center, and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU membership. | Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include insurgency by Islamic militants based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, a nonconvertible currency, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization. |
Birth rate | 12.75 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 26.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$1.6 billion expenditures: $1.73 billion, including capital expenditures of $265.4 million (1999) |
revenues: $4 billion
expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Valletta | Tashkent (Toshkent) |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers | mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east |
Coastline | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) | 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline |
Constitution | 1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 | new constitution adopted 8 December 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta |
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi local short form: Ozbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | Maltese lira (MTL) | Uzbekistani sum (UZS) |
Death rate | 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.98 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $130 million (1997) | $5.1 billion (2001 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador George SALIBA embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Malta VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR 01 telephone: [356] 235960 through 235965 FAX: [356] 243229 |
chief of mission: Ambassador John Edward HERBST
embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115 mailing address: use embassy street address; US Embassy Tashkent, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7110 telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450 FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador George SALIBA chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Shavkat HAMRAKULOV
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | none | dispute over access to Sokh and other Uzbek enclaves in Kyrgyzstan mars progress on international boundary delimitation; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan wrestle with sharing limited water resources; Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan contend with the regional environmental degradation caused by the shrinking Aral Sea; the border with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is mined in certain sections, continuing to cause civilian casualties |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | approximately $150 million from the US (2001) |
Economy - overview | Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies, and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Malta is privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets in order to prepare for membership in the European Union. However, the island is divided politically over the question of joining the EU. The sizable budget deficit remains a key concern. | Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second largest cotton exporter, a large producer of gold and oil, 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. The state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy and has 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 emphasizing import substitute industrialization and 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 led to disappointing growth in 2001. However, in December 2001 the government voiced a renewed interest in economic reform, seeking advice from the IMF and other financial institutions. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.534 billion kWh (1999) | 41.89 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 4.1 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 5 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 1.65 billion kWh (1999) | 44.075 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 87%
hydro: 13% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination | shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) | Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.) |
Exchange rates | Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.4370 (January 2001), 0.4376 (2000), 0.3994 (1999), 0.3885 (1998), 0.3857 (1997), 0.3604 (1996) | Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 687.0 (January 2002), 325.0 (January 2001), 141.4 (January 2000), 111.9 (February 1999), 110.95 (December 1998), 75.8 (September 1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Guido DE MARCO (since 4 April 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 6 September 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence GONZE (since 4 April 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term; election last held NA April 1999 (next to be held by NA April 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election results: Guido DE MARCO elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote - 54% |
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Otkir SULTONOV (since 21 December 1995) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional ammendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2% |
Exports | $2 billion (f.o.b., 1999) | $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures | cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.) |
Exports - partners | US 21.4%, France 15.2%, Germany 12.6%, UK 9.3%, Italy 4.9% (1999) | Russia 16.7%, Switzerland 8.3%, UK 7.2%, Ukraine 4.7%, South Korea 3.3%, Kazakhstan 3.1% (2000) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the Saint George Cross, edged in red | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $5.6 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $62 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
2.8% industry: 25.5% services: 71.7% (1999) |
agriculture: 33%
industry: 24% services: 43% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $14,300 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.4% (2000 est.) | 3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 35 50 N, 14 35 E | 41 00 N, 64 00 E |
Geography - note | the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration | along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world |
Highways | total:
1,742 km paved: 1,677 km unpaved: 65 km (1997) |
total: 81,600 km
paved: 71,237 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 10,363 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25% (1993) (1993) |
Illicit drugs | minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan |
Imports | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999) | $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco | machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals (1998 est.) |
Imports - partners | France 19.1%, Italy 16.7%, UK 10.9%, Germany 10.0%, US 8.5% (1999) | Russia 15.8%, South Korea 9.8%, US 8.7%, Germany 8.6%, Kazakhstan 7.3%, Ukraine 6.1% (2002) |
Independence | 21 September 1964 (from UK) | 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.5% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco | textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas, chemicals |
Infant mortality rate | 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 71.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2000 est.) | 23% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 42 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 11.45 sq km (2000 est.) | 42,810 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister | Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly) |
Labor force | 145,901 (1999) | 11.9 million (1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.) | agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995) (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km |
Land use | arable land:
32% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 4% other: 61% (2000 est.) |
arable land: 10.8%
permanent crops: 0.91% other: 88.29% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Maltese (official), English (official) | Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% |
Legal system | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system |
Legislative branch | unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 September 1998 (next to be held by September 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.8%, MLP 46.9%, AD 1.2%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 30 |
unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - 2002 ammendment to the constitution creates a second chamber to be established via elections in 2004
elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20, Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16, local government 110, vacant 1 note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
78.1 years male: 75.64 years female: 80.79 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 63.9 years
male: 60.38 years female: 67.6 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 10 and over can read and write total population: 88.76% male: 86.91% female: 89.55% (1995 census) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (yearend 1996) |
Location | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) | Central Asia, north of Afghanistan |
Map references | Europe | Asia |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (doubly landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
1,414 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,191,090 GRT/46,773,603 DWT ships by type: bulk 443, cargo 394, chemical tanker 48, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 14, container 69, liquefied gas 2, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 296, refrigerated cargo 37, roll on/roll off 50, short-sea passenger 15, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 18 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 1, Bermuda 1, Belgium 1, Bangladesh 2, Bulgaria 11, China 7, Costa Rica 1, Cuba 2, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Estonia 2, Finland 1, Germany 23, Greece 258, Hong Kong 3, Croatia 9, Hungary 1, India 2, Israel 2, Italy 17, South Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Latvia 2, Lithuania 1, Monaco 14, Nigeria 1, Netherlands 10, Norway 31, Poland 8, Romania 3, Russia 39, Singapore 6, Spain 3, Sweden 3, Syria 1, Switzerland 25, UAE 2, Turkey 24, UK 8, Ukraine 9, US 9, Venezuela 1, Vietnam 1 (2000 est.) |
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Military branches | Armed Forces (including land forces, an air squadron, a maritime squadron, and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police Force | Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces (internal security and border troops) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $201 million (FY98) | $200 million (FY97) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.5% (FY98) | 2% (FY97) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
98,953 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 6,747,221 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
78,783 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 5,478,766 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 274,602 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 21 September (1964) | Independence Day, 1 September (1991) |
Nationality | noun:
Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese |
noun: Uzbek(s)
adjective: Uzbek |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | limestone, salt, arable land | natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum |
Net migration rate | 2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992) |
Political parties and leaders | Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI] | Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALOLOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary]; note - Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abdumannob POLAT, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Ezgulik [Vasilia Inoyatova] |
Population | 394,583 (July 2001 est.) | 25,563,441 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.74% (2001 est.) | 1.62% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Marsaxlokk, Valletta | Termiz (Amu Darya) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998) |
Radios | 255,000 (1997) | 10.8 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 3,656 km
broad gauge: 3,656 km 1.520-m gauge (618 km electrified) (2000) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 91% | Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
automatic system satisfies normal requirements domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System) international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 187,000 (1997) | 1.98 million (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,691 (1997) | 130,000 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (2000) | 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003) |
Terrain | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs | mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west |
Total fertility rate | 1.92 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.5% (3rd Quarter 2000) | 10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | 1,100 km (1990) |