Iran & Uzbekistan:Trade & Exhibition Information

conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan
local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi
local short form: Ozbekiston
former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Capital:

Tashkent. Population: 2.2 million (UN estimate 2003).

Location:

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Area:

447,400 sq km (172,740 sq miles).

Description:
Uzbekistan is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Turkmenistan to the west, Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast and Tajikistan to the east and has a colourful and varied countryside. The south and east are dominated by the Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alai mountain ranges and the Kyzyl Kum Desert lies to the northeast. The northwestern autonomous region of Karakalpakstan is bordered by the Aral Sea and the sparsely populated Ustyurt Plateau with its vast cotton fields.

Population:

26.9 million (UN estimate 2005).

language:

The official language is Uzbek, a Turkic tongue closely related to Kazakh and Kyrgyz. There is a small Russian-speaking minority. Many people involved with tourism speak English.

Climate:

Uzbekistan has an extreme continental climate. It is generally warmest in the south and coldest in the north. Temperatures in December average -8?�C (18?�F) in the north and 0?�C (32?�F) in the south. However, extreme fluctuations can take temperatures as low as -35?�C (-31?�F). During the summer months, temperatures can climb to 45?�C (113?�F) and above. Humidity is low. The best time to visit is during the spring and autumn.

Economy - overview:

Agriculture is the main component of Uzbekistan’s economy. Livestock is reared in the steppes while a variety of crops, including grains, fruit and vegetables, are grown in the more fertile valleys. In addition, vast quantities of cotton are produced in formerly arid areas fed by artificial irrigation schemes.

Uzbekistan continues to consume over three-quarters of the water available to the ex-Soviet Central Asian Republics. The result of this ill-conceived plan has been one of the world’s greatest ecological catastrophes in the Aral Sea, once among the world’s largest inland seas, which has been deprived of the bulk of its river sources and has consequently contracted to one-third of its original size.

The country has substantial natural resources, especially natural gas, which is an important export earner, and oil. Uzbekistan also boasts the world’s largest opencast gold mine and has deposits of silver, uranium, copper, lead, zinc and tungsten. Machinery and vehicles account for the bulk of manufacturing output.

Self-sufficiency in food and energy products meant that Uzbekistan did not suffer as badly as other republics from the collapse of the Soviet Union and its economic system. In principle, this made reform a somewhat easier prospect than for many of Uzbekistan’s neighbours.

In 1992, Uzbekistan joined the IMF, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (as a ��?Country of Operation’). A new currency, the Sum, was introduced in 1996. Economic reform began in earnest in 1994 but the government has since blown hot and cold over putting it into effect.

Much of the economy has now been transferred into private ownership, but key sectors remain under state control and the financial crises of 1997/98 in Asia and the Russian Federation persuaded the government to put many reform plans on hold. Currency and export controls were introduced in an attempt to insulate the economy, as far as possible, from external influence (although the government now plans to make the Sum fully convertible in the near future). The lack of reform has also deterred many potential foreign investors.

Uzbekistan’s recent economic performance has been patchy. Annual GDP growth was reported by the Uzbek government to be 7.2% in 2006, but there are doubts over the accuracy of this figure. There are no reliable inflation figures available.

Uzbekistan has joined the Economic Co-operation Organisation of ex-Soviet republics and former socialist countries. In April 2004, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development curbed its investment programme due to the lack of progress by Uzbekistan on political and economical benchmarks set by the bank. Until there is more clarity on the legal issues and efficiency in the banking sector, foreign investors will face a difficult environment.

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/297/business/Central-Asia/Uzbekistan.html

Economy:

Agriculture is the main component of Uzbekistan’s economy. Livestock is reared in the steppes while a variety of crops, including grains, fruit and vegetables, are grown in the more fertile valleys. In addition, vast quantities of cotton are produced in formerly arid areas fed by artificial irrigation schemes.

Uzbekistan continues to consume over three-quarters of the water available to the ex-Soviet Central Asian Republics. The result of this ill-conceived plan has been one of the world’s greatest ecological catastrophes in the Aral Sea, once among the world’s largest inland seas, which has been deprived of the bulk of its river sources and has consequently contracted to one-third of its original size.

The country has substantial natural resources, especially natural gas, which is an important export earner, and oil. Uzbekistan also boasts the world’s largest opencast gold mine and has deposits of silver, uranium, copper, lead, zinc and tungsten. Machinery and vehicles account for the bulk of manufacturing output.

Self-sufficiency in food and energy products meant that Uzbekistan did not suffer as badly as other republics from the collapse of the Soviet Union and its economic system. In principle, this made reform a somewhat easier prospect than for many of Uzbekistan’s neighbours.

In 1992, Uzbekistan joined the IMF, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (as a ��?Country of Operation’). A new currency, the Sum, was introduced in 1996. Economic reform began in earnest in 1994 but the government has since blown hot and cold over putting it into effect.

Much of the economy has now been transferred into private ownership, but key sectors remain under state control and the financial crises of 1997/98 in Asia and the Russian Federation persuaded the government to put many reform plans on hold. Currency and export controls were introduced in an attempt to insulate the economy, as far as possible, from external influence (although the government now plans to make the Sum fully convertible in the near future). The lack of reform has also deterred many potential foreign investors.

Uzbekistan’s recent economic performance has been patchy. Annual GDP growth was reported by the Uzbek government to be 7.2% in 2006, but there are doubts over the accuracy of this figure. There are no reliable inflation figures available.

Uzbekistan has joined the Economic Co-operation Organisation of ex-Soviet republics and former socialist countries. In April 2004, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development curbed its investment programme due to the lack of progress by Uzbekistan on political and economical benchmarks set by the bank. Until there is more clarity on the legal issues and efficiency in the banking sector, foreign investors will face a difficult environment.

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/297/business/Central-Asia/Uzbekistan.html

Industries:

textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas, chemicals

Exports:

Cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilisers, ferrous metals, textiles and motor vehicles.

Imports:

Machinery and equipment, food, chemicals and metals.

• Main trade partners: Russian Federation, Germany, Switzerland, UK, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Korea (Rep) and Japan.

Exchange rates:

Uzbek Sum (UZS; symbol ?�?�) = 100 tiyn. Notes are in denominations of ?�?�1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 3 and 1. Coins are in denominations of ?�?�100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 3 and 1 tiyn.
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/297/money/Central-Asia/Uzbekistan.html