Uzbekistan's world rankings: uranium, gold, cotton, and other superlatives

Uzbekistan produced approximately 3,300 tonnes of uranium in 2022, ranking 5th world after Kazakhstan (#1), Canada, Namibia, and Australia^[1]. The state company Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combine (NMMC) runs the industry from central Uzbekistan; most of the uranium is exported to nuclear-power buyers in Europe, China, and India. The country has proven reserves of around 130,000 tonnes — enough at current production for 40+ years.

Uzbekistan produces roughly 110 tonnes of gold a year, ranking 7th world^[2]. Muruntau, in the Kyzylkum Desert, is the largest open-pit gold mine on Earth by area — over 3.5 km long, 3 km wide, and 600 m deep. It is visible from orbit. The Uzbekistan central bank holds one of the highest per-capita gold reserves of any emerging market.

Cotton has been Uzbekistan's most famous crop since the Soviet 'white gold' campaigns of the 1960s–80s^[3]. Production is currently around 3.4 million bales per year, ranking 6th world. Since 2017 the country has substantially reformed the industry: forced-labour picking has been abolished, and Uzbek cotton is now certified free of forced labour by international monitors. The industry is transitioning from raw-cotton export to higher-value textile manufacturing.

With around 37 million people (2025 estimate), Uzbekistan is by far the most populous country in Central Asia — roughly half the region's total^[4]. Kazakhstan is second (~20 M), Tajikistan third (~10 M), Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan roughly equal (~7 M each). The population is unusually young: median age around 28.

Uzbekistan holds 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, tied with Kazakhstan for the most in Central Asia (Turkmenistan has 3, Tajikistan 2, Kyrgyzstan 3). All five of Uzbekistan's sites are cultural — no natural sites — which is why Uzbekistan is often called the region's premier heritage destination.

Uzbek is the second-most-spoken Turkic language in the world after Turkish. Roughly 30 million native speakers place it well ahead of Kazakh (~15 M), Azerbaijani (~25 M), and Uyghur (~11 M). Uzbek is in the Karluk branch of Turkic, closest to Uyghur.

Uzbekistan is one of only two doubly-landlocked countries on Earth — surrounded entirely by other landlocked countries. The other is Liechtenstein. This means the nearest ocean is always at least two international borders away.