If you lived in Uzbekistan instead of Turkmenistan, you would:

Health

live 2.3 years longer

In Turkmenistan, the average life expectancy is 70 years (67 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2024. In Uzbekistan, that number is 73 years (70 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 45.3% more doctors per person

Turkmenistan has 19.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Uzbekistan has 28.1 as of 2021.

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be 40.5% more likely to be obese

In Turkmenistan, 22.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uzbekistan, that number is 31.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 40.7% less spent on your healthcare

Turkmenistan spends $1,264 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uzbekistan spends $749 as of 2023.

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be 22.1% more likely to die by suicide

Turkmenistan has a suicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uzbekistan, it is 8.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 39.3% less money

Turkmenistan has a GDP per capita of $6,540 as of 2025, while in Uzbekistan, the GDP per capita is $3,968 as of 2025.

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Life

be 57.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Turkmenistan, approximately 30.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Uzbekistan, on the other hand, 12.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 22.2% more children

In Turkmenistan, there are approximately 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uzbekistan, there are 25.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 5.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Turkmenistan, approximately 5.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Uzbekistan, 26.0 women do as of 2023.

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Basic Needs

be 3.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Turkmenistan, approximately 25.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Uzbekistan, about 89.5% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 27.5% more on education

Turkmenistan spends 4.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Uzbekistan spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 22.5% more on healthcare

Turkmenistan spends 5.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Uzbekistan, that number is 6.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 16.3% more likely to die in a road accident

In Turkmenistan, road accidents kill 8.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uzbekistan, they kill 9.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 6.7 times more home broadband

Turkmenistan has 5.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Uzbekistan has 34.7 as of 2024.

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use 25.9% less electricity

Turkmenistan uses 2,778 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Uzbekistan uses 2,059 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 62.3% less CO2

Turkmenistan emits 10.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uzbekistan emits 4.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 34.5% more likely to die from air pollution

In Turkmenistan, air pollution causes 87.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Uzbekistan, it causes 117.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Uzbekistan: At a glance

Uzbekistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 425,400 sq km. Russia conquered the territory of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country has lessened its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. However, longserving septuagenarian President Islom KARIMOV, who rose through the ranks of the Soviet-era State Planning Committee (Gosplan), remains wedded to the concepts of a command economy, creating a challenging environment for foreign investment. Current concerns include post-KARIMOV succession, terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.
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How big is Uzbekistan compared to Turkmenistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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