Kyrgyzstan

The country is grappling with significant inflationary pressures (10.753%) alongside its impressive GDP growth (9.013%). This suggests that rapid economic expansion may be overheating the economy or that external factors, such as commodity prices or currency depreciation, are severely impacting consumer purchasing power.

Only about one-third of the population (34.7%) lives in urban areas, indicating that Kyrgyzstan remains predominantly rural compared to the global average (around 57%). This low urbanization rate presents challenges for infrastructure development and centralized economic planning.

Kyrgyzstan’s fertility rate of 2.70 is significantly above the replacement level (2.1) and higher than many neighboring countries, driving continued population growth. This high rate, coupled with a relatively low life expectancy of 72.25 years, suggests a youthful and expanding population structure.

Kyrgyzstan experienced a robust GDP growth rate of over 9% in 2023, which is exceptionally high globally. However, this growth starts from a very low base, reflected by a GDP per capita of only $2,138, indicating that the country is rapidly developing but remains economically challenged.