Uzbekistan Zhumhurijati

Political Status: Eastern portion of Turkistan Soviet Socialist Republic detached on October 27, 1924, to form Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic; became constituent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) on May 12, 1925; declared independence as Republic of Uzbekistan on August 31, 1991; present constitution adopted on December 8, 1992.

Area: 172,740 sq. mi. (447,400 sq. km.).

Population: 19,810,077 (1989C); 26,970,000 (2006E).

Major Urban Centers (2005E): TASHKENT (2,167,000), Namangan (375,000), Samarkand (360,000), Andizhan (323,000).

Official Language: Uzbek. Russian remains the principal everyday language.

Monetary Unit: Sum (official rate November 2, 2007: 1,280.65 sums = $1US).

President: Islam A. KARIMOV; elected to the new office of president by the Supreme Soviet on March 24, 1990; reconfirmed for a five-year term ...