TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 22. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on conducting a nationwide population and agricultural census, Trend reports via the National Database of Legislation.
The combined census is scheduled to take place from January 15 to February 28, 2026. Engagement of local mahalla committees in organizing the process will begin on December 15, 2025, and continue until March 1, 2026. Census enumerators will receive a one-time incentive payment of 1.9 million soms ($173).
The decree also approves the composition of the Republican Census Commission, which will consist of 34 members and be chaired by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. The commission includes 15 ministers, the Prosecutor General, heads of the State Security Service, Customs Committee, and State Statistics Committee, as well as leaders of Uzbekistan Railways, Uzbekistan Airways, and Uzbekistan Airports.
Meanwhile, the last nationwide census in Uzbekistan was conducted in 1989. In recent years, several preparatory steps have been taken, including the adoption of the Law “On Population Census”, which mandates a census at least once every 10 years, and the agricultural census, to be conducted every five years. A trial population census was conducted in 2021, followed by an agricultural census in 2022. However, the full-scale census was postponed to allow for a careful study of international best practices and the implementation of necessary preparatory measures.