Disclaimer
This report was compiled by an ADRC visiting researcher (VR) from ADRC
member countries.
The views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect the views of theADRC. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on themaps in the report also do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the
ADRC.

TASHPULATOV MANSURJON

THE STATE COMMITTEE OF THE REPUBLIC OFUZBEKISTAN ON GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

1. General Information
1-1. Geography
Uzbekistan - a country located in the central part of Central Asia.
Name of the State "Republic of Uzbekistan".
Uzbekistan has an area of 447,400 square kilometers. It is the 56th largest country in the world by
area and the 42nd by population. Among the CIS countries, it is the 5th largest by area and the 3rdlargest by population.
Bordering Kazakhstan and the Aral Sea to the north and northwest, Turkmenistan to thesouthwest, Tajikistan to the southeast, and Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Uzbekistan is one of thelargest Central Asian states and the only Central Asian state to border all the other four. Uzbekistan
also shares a short border (less than 150 km) with Afghanistan to the south.

Landscape. The main part of Uzbekistan is occupied with plains (about four fifth of the total area).
And one of the main ones is Turanian plain. To the East and to the North-East of the country arelocated mountain ranges of the Than-Shang and Pamir, with the highest top of the country 4,643 m.
To the North of the Central part of Uzbekistan is located one the largest deserts in the world –Qyzylqum.

1-2. Climate
Climate is mainly desert-continental. Seasonal temperature difference is significant. Average wintertemperature is lower than 6 degrees Centigrade below zero, while average temperature in July ishigher than 35 degrees above zero. Number of precipitations is rather small. It’s therefore, that theagriculture mainly depends on irrigation.

1-3. Demographics
Uzbekistan is Central Asia's most populous country. Its 29,000 000 population comprise nearly half
the region's total population. According to official sources, Uzbeks comprise a majority (80%) of thetotal population. Other ethnic groups include Russians-5.5%, Tajiks-5%, Kazakhs-3%, Karakalpaks2.5% and Tatars-1.5%.

1-4. Nature
Nature of Uzbekistan consists of combination of sub-tropical features with moderate zones. Land, air,water and fire (sun) have been respected in Central Asia from the times of Zoroastrians calling
people in ancient times to care for purity of rivers and abundance of soils.

1-5. Water Resources
People that lived in the Asian region had always cherish the water. There is a saying in the Orient:«There is life in places with water». Since olden days settled population had chosen places forinhabitation near to rivers and canals. Two large rivers flow through the territory of Uzbekistan:
Amudarya and Sirdarya that spring from the outside of the country. However, Amudarya in its lower
part of flow (1,415 km) is within borders of Uzbekistan, and Sirdarya being the second river by waterbearing is within borders of our country in its middle part of the flow (2,212 km). There are few lakeon the territory of our republic. The most number of lakes are situated in mountainous area at theheight of 2,000-3,000 meters. Large lakes include the Sudochye Lake in Amudarya’ delta andArnasay Lakes. There are also a great number of artificial reservoirs in Uzbekistan among which thelargest one are Kattakurgan, Chardara, Tuyabuguz and Charvak reservoirs. The largest lake - Aral
Sea had significantly decreased its level in recent years and its shores left by tens of kilometers.

1-6. Mountain system
Mountains and foothills comprise about one fifth of the country’s area. In the East, mid and highmountain reliefs prevail: the boundaries of Uzbekistan embrace the slopes or ends of mountain
ranges of the Western Than-Shang (Ugam, Pskem, Chotqol, Kurama) and Pamir-Oloy (Zarafshon,
Turkiston, Gissar, Kugitangtau, Baysuntau). To the South and West, they gradually descend andchange to plains. Among the mountains span quite large trough: Qashqadaryo, Surhondaryo,
Zarafshon, Samarqand. The biggest intermountain trough is Farghona hollow (valley) – 370 km, andthe width reaches 190 km. It’s framed by the mountain ridges from three sides, and is open only
from the West. On the border with Afghanistan is located vast Amudaryo basin.

1-7. Natural resources
The Republic of Uzbekistan possesses large production and mineral resource potential, uniqueagricultural resources, significant volumes of prepared raw materials (semi-finished products),
derived as a result of processing, rich natural resources, developed infrastructure. Modern level ofprospecting minerals is connected with development of richest deposits of precious, non-ferrous andrare metals, all types of organic fuel – oil, natural gas and gas condensate, brown and low
temperature coking coal, oil shale, uranium, many types of resources for construction materials.
On the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan was found broad range of treasures of the soil, which
includes more than 100 minerals, out of which 60 are already used in the economy.

According to confirmed reserves of such minerals as gold, uranium, copper, natural gas, tungsten,potassium salts, phosphorus, kaolin, Uzbekistan ranks leadership positions not only in CIS, but inthe entire world. Thus, Uzbekistan is the 4th largest on gold reserves, and is the 7th largest on
mining hereof, 10th-11th – on copper reserves; uranium – 7th-8th, on mining – 11th–12th.
Available reserves of mineral resources in majority not only supply mining complexes for the longperspective, but also allow to raise the capacities to set up new mining of a number of the mostimportant minerals such as gold, uranium, copper, lead, silver, lithium, phosphorus, potassium salts,
fluor-spar, vollastonit, agrochemical ores and others.

2. Natural Hazards in the Country2-1. Natural Hazards Likely to Affect the Country (features, tendency)
Uzbekistan ranks high among countries that have endured significant loss of life and property due toearthquakes and other natural disasters. As one of the most seismic active regions in Central Asia,
Uzbekistan is struck by earthquakes in the eight to ten point ranges. In addition to its seismic
vulnerability, Uzbekistan is affected by hydro-meteorological hazards affecting the agricultural sector
with seasonal floods and periods of drought. Other threats from landslides, locust invasions andavalanche have been reported to affect the lives and livelihood of Uzbekistan’s population.

MAP OF SEISMIC RISK ZONING OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

2-2. Recent Major Disasters
Tashkent earthquake happened at 5:23
am April 26, 1966 At the relatively small
magnitude (M = 5.2 on the Richter scale),but because of the shallow (3 to 8 km) of
occurrence of the hearth, it caused a 8-9 point (on a 12-point scale MSK-64),
shake the earth's surface and substantial
damage of buildings in the city centre. At
Tashkent, 10 were killed, 1,000 were
injured, and about 100,000 were left
homeless.
28,000buildings
weredestroyed, including 200 hospitals andclinics, and 180 schools, in the Old
Quarter of Tashkent, the principal
damage area.
Thousands of the ancient, one-story adobe dwellings were flattened. Additional damage wassustained from the hundreds of aftershocks which followed.

Andijan earthquake - the catastrophic
earthquake that occurred two(16)
December 1902 in the city of Andijan
Ferghana region. The death toll of about
4000. The earthquake consisted of threeroughly equal strength shocks. The first ofwhich, a magnitude 8.9, occurred at 10:00
am. 1-1.5 minutes there was a second, themost powerful force on the push-magnitude
9-9.5. After 30 minutes, after the first two
followed by a third push, magnitude 8. The
earthquake had destroyed 11,000 buildings
and 161 types of local building the"European style". Survived only threebuildings of European architecture: urban
Orthodox Church, Prison and City Bank.
Material losses, net of government agencies
accounted for 12 million rubles. The death
toll was 4602 people, which is about 9 percent of the residents of the city in 1902.

3. Disaster Management System
3-1. Administrative system
The State system of prevention and emergency response consists of controls and capabilities of theCouncil of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, 12 regions, districts and municipalities,
ministries and departments, enterprises, institutions and organizations.
The structure and functioning of the state system of prevention and emergency action by the Cabinetof Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan:- ensures the creation of state reserves of financial and material resources for disaster management,
as well as the procedure for its use;
- Responsible for financial and resource support capabilities for the prevention and liquidation of
emergency situations, equip them special appliances and other material and technical means;- Classification of states of emergency situations and determines the degree of involvement of theexecutive power to eliminate them;- carry out the activities of ministries, departments, local authorities in the protection of populationand territories from emergency situations;
Specially authorized state body for the protection of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for
Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Ministry of Emergency Situations:- develop and adopt action to prevent emergency situations save lives and preserve health, protect
the material and cultural values, as well as the recovery and reduce damages in emergency
situations;- organizes the development and implementation of targeted programs and research in the field of
population and territories from emergency situations;- takes within their jurisdiction, obligatory for execution by ministries, departments, enterprises,
institutions and organizations, officials and citizens;- organize the preparation of controls, forces and protection frames the population and territories foractions in emergency situations;- controls the forces and means for dealing with emergencies, creates a control posts, warning
systems and communications;- organizes the emergency rescue and other emergency operations in emergency situations;- carries out state control over the implementation protection measures the population and territories
from emergency situations;3-2. Legal System and Framework
The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan is a central government body
responsible for directing and coordinating activities in the field of civil protection, prevention andresponse to emergency situations caused by accidents, catastrophes and natural disasters.
Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan in accordance with the Constitution,
laws and other acts of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, decrees, regulations, and ordersof the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, resolutions and orders of the Cabinet of Ministers
and the international treaties of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the management Emergencies.
Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan carries out its activities incooperation with the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regions, cities, districts,
environmental and specially authorized state bodies.
Ministry of Emergency situations has few documents for disaster management of the Republic of
Uzbekistan. There are:

3-3. Structure of Disaster Managementa) National platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
STRUCTURE OF THE STATE SYSTEM OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN.
CABINET OF MINISTERS OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTANMINISTRY OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONSOPERATIONAL SUBSYTEM OF SSESTERRITORIAL SUBSYTEM OF SSESLOCAL AUTHORITIES(SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE
REPUBLIC
OF САМООРГАНЫ
МЕСТНОГО
ОРГАНЫ
МЕСТНОГО
САМОKARAKALPAKHSTAN,
УПРАВЛЕНИЯ
ХОКИМИЯТЫ
ОРГАНЫ МЕСТНОГО
САМОУПРАВЛЕНИЯ
ХОКИМИЯТЫ
KHOKIMIYATS(MAYOR’SРКОБЛАСТЕЙ
УПРАВЛЕНИЯ
ХОКИМИЯТЫ
OFFICE)OFTHE
OBLASTSANDРК ОБЛАСТЕЙ
РК TASHKENTОБЛАСТЕЙCITY)MINISTRIES ANDМИНИСТЕРСТВА
МИНИСТЕРСТВА
DEPARTMENTSИМИНИСТЕРСТВА
ВЕДОМСТВА
ИИВЕДОМСТВА
ВЕДОМСТВАNATIONAL LEVELLOCAL LEVELENTITY LEVELGOVERNING BODIESGOVERNING BODIESGOVERNING BODIES

DAY-TO-DAYOPERATION BODIES

DAY-TO-DAYOPERATION BODIES

DAY-TO-DAYOPERATION BODIESCAPABILITYCAPABILITYCAPABILITY

RESERVES FORFINANCIAL AND
PHYSICAL RESOURCESRESERVES FORFINANCIAL AND
PHYSICAL RESOURCESRESERVES FORFINANCIAL AND
PHYSICAL RESOURCESEARLY WARNING AND
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMEARLY WARNING AND
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMEARLY WARNING AND
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

MAIN TASKS OF THE MINISTRY OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OFUZBEKISTAN ARE:
- development and implementation of state policy in the field of disaster prevention, the protection oflife and health of the population, material and cultural values, as well as the recovery and reduce thedamage in case of emergencies in peacetime and wartime;- creation and maintenance governance of the State system of Prevention and emergency response;- manual of civil protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan;- organization development and implementation in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan
measures to protect the population of the country, objects are a national treasure of the Republic, as
well as the prevention and liquidation of emergency situations;- guide to work on the liquidation a major emergency, development and preparedness of forces andresources required for this purpose;- organization development and realization of target scientific and technical programs aimed at theprevention of emergency situations, the protection of the population of the country and to increase
the stability of functioning of objects of national economy as they arise;- organization of preparation of the population, officials and formations of the SSES to act inemergency situations;RESPONSIBILITIES OF MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES IN THE AREA OF PROTECTION FROMEMERGENCIES:- ensure the readiness of the subordinate enterprises, institutions and organizations to actions inemergency situations;- develop and conduct measures to improve the sustainability performance of the industry and its
subordinate objects in emergency situations;- submit for coordination to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan
action plan, regulations, rules and instructions for the protection of emergency;- train workers on ways of protection subordinate objects and actions in emergency situations in thesaving services and rescue teams;- create local systems of emergency warning and keep them in constant readiness;- provide in the prescribed manner on the status of population and territory, as well as notify theworkers in the industry about the threat of an emergency;- create reserves of material and financial resources;- provide for the organization, financing and implementation of emergency, rescue and otheremergency operations to subordinate objects of production and social facilities and adjacent areas inaccordance with the plans of prevention and liquidation of emergency situations;- implement measures for the evacuation of critical facilities and their personnel in the items toensure the continuation of their work in emergency situations;- ensure the creation, preparation and maintenance of preparedness of special forces and means ofprevention and liquidation of emergency situations;- monitor compliance with the requirements for the protection
CREDENTIALS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO PROTECT FROM EMERGENCY SITUATIONS:- develop a plan of action to protect the population and territory in emergency situations;- carried out in the prescribed manner the collection and exchange of information for the protectionof the population and territories, as well as a timely warning and informing the population about thethreat or occurrence of an emergency situation;- promote improve the sustainability of enterprises, institutions and organizations in emergency
situations, regardless of their affiliation;- carry out control over forces and resources of enterprises, institutions and organizations for theprevention and liquidation of emergency situations;- organize the constant readiness of rescue forces special forces to carry out rescue and otheremergency operations in the areas of accidents, natural disasters;- organize and carry out rescue and other immediate work and keep law and order in theirrealization;b) National Organizations for Disaster Risk Reduction
There are sector oriented concepts and target programmers on natural disaster risk reduction which
are specified depending on the area of activity and nature of disasters. The SSES functional andterritorial subsystems’ action plans have been developed, approved and are systematically adjusted
based on the Decrees of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Laws of the Republic of
Uzbekistan and resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan which govern
the functioning of the SSES and those of the following bodies:PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

Deputy Prime Minister of the
Republic of Uzbekistan

Minister of Emergency
Situations

Ministry of Emergency
Situations,

Ministry of Economy

Ministry of InteriorState Committee of Nature
conservation

Ministry of Higher andsecondarySpecial education

State Committee of Geology
and Mineral Resources

Ministry of Public
Education

State Committee of Architecture
and Construction

Ministry of HealthAcademy of Sciences

Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Agriculture
and Water Management

Centre of Hydro-meteorological
Service under the Cabinet of
Ministers of the Republic of
Uzbekistan
State Stock Company“Uzavtoyul”

Ministry of FinanceState Stock Company“Uzkimyosanoat”

Uzbek Agency ofAutomobile and River
Transportation

State Inspection“Sanoatkontekhnazorat”

National Holding
Company“Uzbekneftegaz”
National Television andRadiobroadcasting Company“Uzbekistan”
National Air Company“Uzbekistan Airways”
State Stock Railway
Company “Uzbekistan
railways”
State Stock Company“Uzbekenergo”
State Insurance
Companies“Uzagrosughurta” and“Kafolot”
Uzbek Agency“Uzcommunkhizmat”
Uzbek Agency ofCommunications
and Informatization
National Council of the
Red Crescent Society of
the Republic of
Uzbekistan

4. Disaster Management Strategy, Policy, and Plan
For the implementation of the state policy in the field of vital interests of the individual, society andthe state act legal framework regulating the activities the state authorities and enterprises andorganizations, as well as civil self in the area of civil protection. The Laws of the Republic of
Uzbekistan "On protection of population and territories from emergency situations of natural andman-made" and "Civil Protection", and a number of resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The world practice shows that timely prevention of hazards of natural and man-made hazards, thepriority realization of measures to prevent and reduce their negative impacts are much more
economical and more effective than emergency response.
In order to realize these tasks, the Ministry of Emergency Situations together with the interested
ministries and departments of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of
Karakalpakstan, regional and Tashkent city State program is designed to forecast and prevention of
emergency situations (hereinafter - the State program).
The purpose of this state program is provide a guaranteed level of protection of the population andterritories from emergency situations, risk reduction and mitigation of accidents and natural disasters
in the country, taking into account achievements of the national science and technology, as well asinternational experience in this field.

The State Program included the fallowing:

А. Natural disaster risk reduction
1. Risk reduction program for the effects of earthquake
2. Program on prevention of floods, mudflows, avalanches and landslides
3. Program on prevention of epidemics, epizootic outbreak, epiphytoties
B. Technological disaster risk reduction
4. Program on prevention of chemical emergency
5. Program on prevention of accidents at explosive and fire hazardous sites
6. Program on prevention of accidents at the sites and power network
7. Program on prevention of transport accidents and disaster (motor transport, railway, aircraft,
the Metro)
8. Program on prevention of disaster at hydraulic engineering structures
C. Early warning of population
9. Program on creation of territorial and local systems and early warning
D. Improvement of emergency rescue services
10. Program on equipping the Center on training and advanced training of rescue workers of
MoES with rescue gear, equipment, outfit and on construction of training centers
E. Training of the population on disaster preparedness
11. Program on training of population
5. Progress of the Implementation of Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)(Please click on the link below on the Government of the Uzbekistan National Progress Report on
the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), as of 20 March 2009.
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/9814_Uzbekistan.pdf

6. Recent Major Project on Disaster Risk Reduction
6-1. The joint project of UNDP in Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the
Republic of Uzbekistan "Strengthening the potential of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Disaster
Risk Management".
Information about the project
Strengthening the potential of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the prevention and mitigation of natural
disasters is part of the Framework Programme of the United Nations Development Assistance for2010-2015. In this regard, in order to build capacity in the Republic of disaster risk management inJuly 2010, United Nations Development Programme in Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Emergency
Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan initiated and signed the joint project "Strengthening thepotential of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Disaster Risk Management".
The purpose of the project
The purpose of this project is to create a sustainable mechanism for disaster risk reduction,according to the Hyogo Framework for Action for 2010-2015. This project also aims to improve thetraining of personnel, material and technical potential of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, theAcademy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the public in the area disaster risk reduction.
The direction of the project

Strengthening the capacity of Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan andthe risks involved in the management of natural disasters and climate sides, in order to mitigate andreduce the risk of natural disasters, as well as timely and strategic response to any event of acatastrophic scale, threatening the lives of people in Tashkent and, at a later stage, other areas of
the Republic, located in the high-risk areas.
Ensuring public awareness of about natural disasters and promoting a culture of behavior in
emergencies.
Strengthening the capacity of the UN system in Uzbekistan to develop a common strategy fordisaster risk reduction needed to assist the Republic of Uzbekistan in the event of a catastrophic
disaster.
In 2012, the project is headed for the support of the initiatives of the Government of the Republic of
Uzbekistan to raise public awareness about earthquakes and building a culture of people's behavior
during earthquakes, as part of which included the following:- Seismic stability of individual houses;- Formation of culture of behavior of preschool children in the earthquake;- The documentary educational film;- Application for Mobile Phones;- Mobile Team preparing the population for emergency situations;- Seismic zoning map of Tashkent;- International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

7. ADRC Counterpart
Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan
100084, Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 4, Kichik khalka yoli str.
Web-site: www.mchs.gov.uz
E-Mail: it@mchs.gov.uz