Short facts about the government of Uzbekistan

Country name:

conventional long form:  Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form:  Uzbekistan local long form:  Uzbekiston Respublikasi local short form:  none former:  Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; effectively authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Capital:

Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions:

12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati note:  administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence:

1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:

new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:

evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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 five-year term; election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held NA January 2005); note - extension of President KARIMOV's original term for an additional five years overwhelmingly approved - 99.6% of total vote in favor - by national referendum held 27 March 1995; prime minister and deputy ministers appointed by the president election results:  Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz DZHALALOV 4.2%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) 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

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; Fatherland Progress Party [Anwar Z. YOLDASHEV]; 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim PULAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abdumanob PULAT, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]

International organization participation:

AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:

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) 120-5444 FAX:  [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:

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

Source: World Factbook