Climate Change Overview

Country Summary

This page presents high-level information for Uzbekistan's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications are derived from the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five main climate groups divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter).  Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of Uzbekistan's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.

The Republic of Uzbekistan is a landlocked country with a total land area of 447,400 square kilometers, situated in the heart of Central Asia, bordering Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is the most populous country in Central Asia, with a population of 33.5 million in 2019. 

Uzbekistan has an arid and continental climate characterized by large variations in temperature within days and between seasons. Large parts of the country (79% by area) feature flat topography either in the form of semi-desert steppes or desert zones, including desert areas in the far west that have formed as a result of the drying of the Aral Sea. The remaining south-eastern areas have a continental climate, including the area covering the largest cities of Tashkent and Samarkand, and contain high mountains forming part of the Tien-Shan and Gissar-Alai Ranges.

The adaptation priorities in Uzbekistan include support to the understanding of climate change impacts across key sectors such as agriculture, the economy, water resource management, population health, disaster risk reduction, and energy. In addition, emphasis is placed on improving the country’s capacity to monitor GHG emissions and on reducing emissions and developing a population and economy more resilient to anticipated climate change.