Kazakhstan climbs to 55th in Global Economic Complexity Index

The revised data significantly changed the country’s previous standing. In the earlier 2023 edition, Kazakhstan was ranked 89th with a score of -0.44. However, in the updated version for the same year, it moved up to 52nd place with a positive score of 0.45. This revision reclassifies Kazakhstan as a country with a more complex economy starting from 2023.

Although Kazakhstan slipped three positions in 2024, from 52nd to 55th, the broader trend points to a structural breakthrough. Between 2020 and 2024, the country advanced 32 places, rising from 87th to 55th, marking the strongest improvement in the region.

For comparison, Uzbekistan moved from 86th to 70th, Kyrgyzstan from 78th to 72nd, Turkmenistan from 127th to 126th, while Russia dropped significantly from 38th to 67th place over the same period.

Notably, Kazakhstan had set a goal in its Strategic Development Plan through 2025 to reach 55th position in the ECI by 2025. That benchmark has now been achieved ahead of schedule.

Commenting on the development to Qazinform News Agency, Swedish pracademic and international business strategist Mr. Alex Matrsson said: “As a Swedish Pracademic and International Business Strategist, I view Kazakhstan's recent rise in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) as a reflection of its strategic commitment to long-term economic diversification and institutional development. The country’s move from 89th in 2023 to 55th in the 2024 ranking demonstrates a noteworthy shift towards a more complex and competitive economy.”

He emphasized that the progress is policy-driven rather than incidental.

Kazakhstan's progress in the ECI is not simply a result of macroeconomic growth but of a well-defined, policy-driven approach to building a diversified and sophisticated economy, Mr. Matrsson noted, highlighting efforts to modernize industry, expand exports, strengthen human capital, and enhance technological capacity.

According to the expert, Kazakhstan’s strategic location between Europe and Asia, combined with institutional stability and openness to international cooperation, increases its attractiveness for foreign investors.

Kazakhstan’s improved ranking reflects not merely a statistical adjustment but deeper structural shifts aimed at diversification and a gradual transition away from a resource-dependent economic model.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Astana ranked 46th in the Global Smart Centres Index 2025, climbing six positions compared to the previous edition of the ranking.