1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated September 22, 2020UzbekistanOverview Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia that became independent with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Because it has the largest population in the region and is the only country that borders all four
2、other Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan), Uzbekistan is arguably a potential regional leader. The country also shares a border with Afghanistan to the south and is increasingly engaged in the Afghan peace process. U.S. policymakers have identified Uz
3、bekistan as a key partner in addressing regional threats such as illegal narcotics, trafficking in persons, terrorism, and violent extremism, as well as in promoting stability and development in Afghanistan. Additionally, the wide-ranging reform effort currently underway in Uzbekistan creates new op
4、portunities for U.S. engagement with the country across a range of sectors (See CRS In Focus IF11408, Reforms in Uzbekistan). Political Background Leadership Transition. From 1991 to 2016, Uzbekistan was led by President Islam Karimov, a former high-level Soviet official. International observers con
