Uzbekistan
Republic of Uzbekistan
Population
35.6M
GDP
$92.0B
Capital
Tashkent
Government
Presidential republic
At a Glance
Human Development
0.7
HDI (0-1)
Democracy
2.1
EIU (0-10)
Press Freedom
—
RSF score
Corruption
—
TI CPI (0-100)
Innovation
—
GII score
Happiness
—
WHR (0-10)
Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia and occupies the region's geographic heart, bordering all four other Central Asian states and Afghanistan. Under President Mirziyoyev (since 2016), Uzbekistan has undergone a significant opening after decades of isolation under Islam Karimov, pursuing economic liberalization, improved regional relations, and cautious engagement with the West.
Uzbekistan has a rich cultural heritage as a center of the Silk Road (Samarkand, Bukhara) and the Timurid Empire. It faces challenges including water scarcity, the Aral Sea environmental disaster, and managing the densely populated Fergana Valley shared with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan's cotton sector, once synonymous with forced labor, has undergone internationally recognized reforms.
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Ask Atlas anything about UzbekistanMUN Delegate Guide
As Uzbekistan, present yourself as a reforming Central Asian leader that has opened its economy and resolved regional tensions. Emphasize your new trajectory under Mirziyoyev's reforms.
Advocate for Central Asian connectivity, including rail and road links through Afghanistan. Push for Aral Sea remediation as an international environmental priority. On water issues, argue for equitable downstream access and caution against upstream dam projects that threaten your agriculture. Maintain strategic independence -- you are in the SCO but not the CSTO, engaged with the West but not aligned. On Afghanistan, advocate for engagement and connectivity over isolation. Highlight your forced labor reform success as a model for development.
Foreign Policy
Uzbekistan pursues a balanced foreign policy, refusing to join the CSTO or Eurasian Economic Union while participating in the SCO and maintaining good relations with Russia, China, the U.S., and the EU. Under Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has dramatically improved relations with all its neighbors, resolved border disputes, and positioned Tashkent as a hub for Afghan peace and connectivity talks. Key priorities include attracting foreign investment, developing transit corridors (including Afghanistan-linked routes), and water diplomacy with upstream Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.