On March 16, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Census Bill into Law. The document was passed by the Legislative Chamber on November 21 and approved by the Senate on February 28.

The Law defines the census as a periodic process of collecting and processing personal data that determine the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population, which is conducted at a fixed date throughout Uzbekistan or in its certain territories.

According to the Law the findings of the census will help:

• expand the database to assess changes in the structure of the population, the demographic situation in order to develop measures to improve public healthcare system, improve the livelihoods of women and children, and help families;
• draft long-, medium- and short-term projections and programs for the socio-economic development of cities and other settlements, mobilization and use of manpower;
• make calculations and forecasting the size and composition of the population between censuses;
• conduct further research on socio-economic development.

The document establishes that the census shall be conducted at least once every 10 years. The decision to conduct a census with a set date and timeline shall be taken by the president.

The collection of personal data on the population is carried out by interviewing respondents and compiling census.

The total census data is publicly available for legal entities and individuals and is posted in the media and on the official website of the State Statistics Committee.

The Law stipulates that the costs of collecting, processing and summarizing the data obtained during the census shall be financed by the state budget and other sources not prohibited by law.

In February, the president approved holding census in Uzbekistan in 2022. The last time a census in Uzbekistan was held in 1989.