Uzbekistan ranks 94th in this ranking: who is ahead in the region?

Uzbekistan ranked 94th out of 161 countries in the 2026 Legatum Prosperity Index. The country recorded the third-best result in Central Asia after Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, although the new report also shows that prosperity is not measured solely by economic growth or population income.

This position in the ranking means that Uzbekistan holds a relatively high standing in the region. At the same time, globally, the country still remains in the second half of the list.

Third best result in Central Asia

In the 2026 ranking, Kazakhstan took the highest position among Central Asian countries, ranking 66th. Kyrgyzstan came second with 87th place, and Uzbekistan followed in third place at 94th.

Tajikistan took 129th place, and Turkmenistan was ranked 150th. Thus, contrary to some circulating information, Turkmenistan was also included in the 2026 study.

Uzbekistan is situated seven spots behind Kyrgyzstan and 35 spots ahead of Tajikistan. The gap with Kazakhstan is 28 spots.

Switzerland becomes the new leader of the ranking

Switzerland took first place on the global list. The country's 2026 profile indicates that this is its current and historical highest result.

Russia ranked 103rd, finishing nine places behind Uzbekistan. Eritrea took the last place among the 161 countries included in the ranking.

The results for some countries are as follows:

This ranking does not measure wealth alone

The Legatum Prosperity Index is not a simple economic ranking showing how much money a country has. The new methodology evaluates prosperity across three major pillars:

1. how developed the country is;

2. how free the citizens are;

3. how strong social connections are in society.

These three areas are broken down into ten core pillars and over 150 statistical indicators. Data is sourced from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization, UNESCO, Freedom House, Gallup, and other international sources.

The Development pillar assesses healthcare, education, and living standards.

The Freedom pillar takes into account peace and security, freedom of expression, and economic freedom.

The Community pillar examines the strength of relationships between family, local communities, society, and the state.

Therefore, a state with a large gross domestic product does not automatically achieve a high ranking. Even if economic indicators are good, if freedom, security, or social trust are low, the overall result may be limited.

What does the 94th place mean?

Uzbekistan's result shows that the country is in the top three among the five Central Asian states. However, it would be incorrect to accept the 94th place as a definitive conclusion that "the population is already living prosperously."

The ranking:

• does not measure the personal income of each family;

• does not separately show disparities between regions;

• does not mean that the quality of life is the same for all citizens;

• combines the country's strong and weak sectors into an aggregate index.

For example, a state may score relatively well in education and healthcare, but register lower results in economic freedom or trust within society. The final ranking is formed based on the balance of these diverse indicators.

Why should ranking positions be compared with previous years cautiously?

In Legatum's 2023 report, Uzbekistan was ranked 100th out of 167 countries. In the new 2026 table, the country has risen to 94th place.

At first glance, this looks like a six-spot growth. However, the organization notes that the 2026 methodology has been revised, and the number of pillars and data aggregation methods have changed. Therefore, one should not rush to the conclusion that the country has grown by exactly six positions by directly comparing the ranks from the two publications.

In the new system, instead of the previous 12 pillars, prosperity is measured through three core domains and ten pillars. The organization has also recalculated historical data based on the updated methodology.

### What other figures are in Uzbekistan's profile?

According to the official country profile, Uzbekistan's current rank is 94. In the historical series calculated using the new methodology, the country's highest result was 87th place, and its lowest result was 119th place. The average historical position is indicated as 101st place.

These figures show that Uzbekistan's prosperity indicators have not changed evenly. Significant growth has been observed in some years, while retreats occurred in other periods.

Why is Kazakhstan ahead in the region?

The ranking does not rely solely on oil, gas, or the size of the economy. Nevertheless, Kazakhstan's industrialized economy, larger financial capabilities, and infrastructure may influence its overall result.

Although Kazakhstan is far ahead of Uzbekistan with its 66th place, its profile also shows that its highest historical result was 63rd place and its lowest was 82nd.

Kyrgyzstan securing 87th place demonstrates that prosperity cannot be explained solely by the size of the economy. A country with a smaller economy can achieve a higher result thanks to certain social or freedom criteria. This is an analytical conclusion derived from the index methodology.

Growth in the ranking should be felt in people's lives

Climbing in the international index is important for the country's image and investment attractiveness. However, the true significance of the ranking is manifested not in the numbers themselves, but in changes to people's lives.

Citizens should feel that prosperity has increased through:

• access to quality education and medical care;

• earning a decent job and income;

• living in a safe environment;

• expressing one's opinions freely;

• trust in fair laws and institutions;

• planning their family's future with confidence.

Uzbekistan securing 94th place indicates a relatively good standing in the region. However, lagging behind Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and sitting at the lower end of the first hundred globally, means there is substantial room for development.

In your opinion, which sector should Uzbekistan reform first to improve its prosperity ranking? Leave your opinion in the comments and share the article with your acquaintances on Telegram or other social networks!