The combined GDP of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan is estimated at $543 billion. Of this amount, $306 billion comes from Kazakhstan, according to The Times of Central Asia's "Central Asia: Balance Sheet," published on August 11.
By comparison, Uzbekistan's economy is worth $147 billion, Turkmenistan's $50 billion, Kyrgyzstan's $23 billion, and Tajikistan's $18 billion. Thus, Kazakhstan accounts for approximately 56% of the five countries' combined GDP.
Kazakhstan also accounts for the largest share of the region's exports. The five countries' combined exports amount to $139 billion, of which $92 billion, or 66%, comes from Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan accounts for 23% of regional exports, or $32 billion; Turkmenistan's 5%, or $7 billion; Kyrgyzstan's 4%, or $6 billion; and Tajikistan's approximately 1%, or $1.6 billion. Data for Kazakhstan and Tajikistan in the review is from 2024.
The accumulated volume of foreign direct investment in Central Asia is estimated at $220.5 billion. Kazakhstan accounts for $151.3 billion of this, or 68.6%. Turkmenistan accounts for $44.6 billion, Uzbekistan for $16.7 billion, and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan for approximately $4 billion each.
Kazakhstan accounts for approximately a quarter of the region's population. Of the 83.6 million residents of the five countries, approximately 21 million live in Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan accounts for approximately 44% of the region's population—approximately 37 million people.
Kazakhstan's financial indicators also differ from those of most countries in the region. The country's reserves are estimated at $129.3 billion, while public and publicly guaranteed external debt amounts to $34 billion. The ratio of these indicators is 3.8 times. Kazakhstan's public debt is 24.6% of GDP. Remittances from abroad are estimated at 0.1% of GDP, and dependence on foreign aid is estimated at 0.03% of gross national income.
Source: Forbes.kz
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 12, 2026