Health systems in transition : Uzbekistan

1.1 Geography and sociodemography 
Uzbekistan is a landlocked country located in central Asia (Fig. 1.1). It is 
bordered to the north and north-east by Kazakhstan, to the west and south-west 
by Turkmenistan, to the south by Afghanistan and to the east by Tajikistan and 
Kyrgyzstan. Uzbekistan’s territory is 447 400 km
2
. Its terrain is a combination 
of sandy deserts, intensely irrigated river valleys, and mountains. The climate 
is continental, with long hot summers and short mild winters.
Uzbekistan’s population has been growing continuously in recent decades, 
reaching 30.2 million in 2013. Although the population structure is still young, 
with 28.2% of the population aged 0–14 years in 2013, this share has been 
steadily decreasing since 1980. According to national statistics, based on recent 

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Health systems in transition
  
Uzbekistan