Recently, rankings were published listing countries with the highest value of natural resources per capita. Saudi Arabia, known for its vast oil reserves, ranked first. The kingdom boasts approximately $1 million worth of natural resources per citizen. Canada and Australia occupied second and third places respectively, with per capita natural resource values exceeding $700,000 in both nations.
Canada's high ranking can be attributed to its oil reserves, extensive forest areas, and rich mineral deposits, while Australia's lead is supported by immense reserves of iron ore, coal, and natural gas. Russia holds the fourth position in the ranking, with over $520,000 in natural resources per capita.
This raises a natural question: What is the figure for Uzbekistan?
Given the frequent fluctuations in global raw material prices and the ongoing nature of geological exploration, it is not easy to determine the exact value of Uzbekistan's natural resources. However, available official data suggests that the country’s underground wealth holds tremendous potential.
In July 2018, Azam Qodirkhojayev, then Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Geology and Mineral Resources, announced that Uzbekistan’s mineral and raw material resource potential is estimated at approximately $5.7 trillion. According to him, slightly over $1 trillion of this valuation accounts for already explored reserves and operational deposits. Additionally, only 20% of the country's territory has been fully studied, indicating significant opportunities to discover new deposits.
At a press conference in December 2023, Ilyos Jumayev, a representative of the Ministry of Mining and Geology, reported that Uzbekistan has officially identified 101 gold and 3 silver deposits. He noted that the country possesses nearly all types of useful minerals known globally. These include gold, silver, copper, uranium, oil, natural gas, lithium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, nickel, cobalt, tantalum, niobium, and other strategically important minerals.
It was particularly emphasized that the majority of gold deposits support the raw material bases of the Navoi and Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complexes, while copper deposits are predominantly located in the Tashkent region.
During the Tashkent International Investment Forum in June 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also highlighted Uzbekistan’s total underground resource potential. The head of state noted that the country’s natural resources are valued at $3 trillion, emphasizing the growing demand for technological minerals in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated: "Overall, our underground resource potential is estimated at $3 trillion. Our region has all the conditions to become a hub for producing high-value-added products from minerals."
According to the president, Uzbekistan houses significant reserves of strategic minerals such as lithium, tungsten, magnesium, graphite, titanium, and vanadium, creating a solid foundation for transforming the country into a center for producing high-value-added products.
How much does this amount to per citizen?
If the estimated $3 trillion in underground resources is divided by the current population of 38.244 million people, each Uzbek citizen theoretically accounts for approximately $78,000 to $79,000 worth of natural resources.
Although these figures are lower compared to Saudi Arabia or Canada, given the nation’s vast yet underexplored reserves, there is no doubt that there are ample opportunities to increase these indicators moving forward.
Valuable and Rare Resources
According to the Ministry of Mining and Geology, Uzbekistan has identified nearly all types of useful minerals known globally. Among these are strategically significant resources, including:
- Precious metals: Gold (101 deposits), silver (3 deposits), and platinum group metals.
- Rare and non-ferrous metals: Copper (10 deposits), uranium, lead, molybdenum, tungsten, lithium, chromium, nickel, tantalum, niobium, cobalt, scandium, germanium, and rhenium.
- Energy resources: Oil and natural gas.
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