Uzbekistan
Following continuous growth since 2000, the economy in Uzbekistan has started to decelerate in recent years. Population growth has been stable, with more than 32 million people residing in the country in 2018. In 2017, the government announced a radical opening and transformation of the economy, reform of state institutions, citizen engagement, and investments in human capital following more than 25 years of a relatively closed and state-dominated society. Uzbekistan is exposed to earthquakes, drought, flooding, mudslides, and landslides, with over 9 percent of its total land area at risk from natural and manmade disasters. Nearly 66 percent of the population lives in these areas, which generate 65.5 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP). Among all natural hazards, earthquakes cause the largest economic losses. In the last century, five notable seismic events inflicted widespread damage and casualties. This included a 5.0 Mw earthquake in 1966 that destroyed the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, affected 100,000 people, and resulted in $300 million in economic losses.
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