Demography & Weather:
Uzbekistan is a land-locked country surrounded by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. The country can be divided into four regions: the Ustyurt Plateau as well as the delta of the lower Amu-Darya River; the Kyzyl Kum Desert east of the Aral Sea; the foothills of the Pamir-Alai Mountain/Tien Shan Range and the fertile oasis of the Fergana Valley. The principal rivers are the Amu-Darya, Syr-Darya and Zeravshan.

Uzbekistan has an extreme continental climate. It is generally warmest in the south and coldest in the north. Temperatures in December average -8°C (18°F) in the north and 0°C (32°F) in the south. However, extreme fluctuations can take temperatures as low as -35°C (-31°F). During the summer months, temperatures can climb to 45°C (113°F) and above. Humidity is low. The best time to visit is during the spring and autumn.

Medical Device Market in Uzbekistan:
An overwhelming majority of medical equipment used in Uzbekistan is imported. Imports from the Germany represent 23 percent of total imports. The second largest exporter to Uzbekistan is Russia with 21 percent of the Uzbek import market. U.S. is the third exporter to Uzbekistan with 18 percent of import market. Finland, Japan and the United Kingdom share the remainder of the import market. The high import percentage indicates that purchasers give priority to the quality, price and unique benefits of a product over the country of origin.

German companies have been successful because of their solid reputation for quality. Russian companies are popular because of their lower prices and enjoy the advantage of geographic proximity, common language, products with the same standards and cheep after-sales service.

There is virtually no domestic production of most medical equipment and supplies. Production of disposable syringes is approximately one million per year and covers about 30% of Uzbekistan's demand. Domestic production of orthopedic equipment is not well developed: capacities are low and quality is very poor.

The Government of Uzbekistan generally welcomes foreign supplier initiatives and is interested in new technologies. Some of medical equipment purchases can be funded through the international organization projects, which were mentioned in section A. Companies seeking to export goods to Uzbekistan need a local partner (distributor or dealer) that (1) is registered with the Agency of Foreign Economic Affairs (AFER) and has a right to export/import; and (2) has license to convert hard currency. Most local companies work on consignment conditions.

The market opportunities for medical equipment in Uzbekistan lies in seven main categories: dental, diagnosis and aesthetic surgery, gynecology and urology, intensive care, laser therapy, surgery, orthopedic and rehabilitation.