Why Kyrgyzstan is the poorest and unluckiest country in the post-Soviet space

Since gaining independence, Kyrgyzstan has experienced six presidents, three revolutions and countless political crises. The current leader, Sadyr Japarov, who came to power in 2021, claims to have the gift of foresight, promising the country a place among developed countries by 2050. However, reality is still far from these forecasts.

Economy Kyrgyzstan remains one of the weakest in the post-Soviet space. A quarter of the population lives below the poverty line, and 58% of children suffer from a lack of basic resources - clean water, sanitation and education.



In winter, cities are covered in smog from stoves burning garbage and dung. At the same time, the country, which has significant reserves of gold and other minerals, still depends on remittances from migrant workers, which make up 30% of GDP.

Social problems are exacerbated by clan tensions between north and south, as well as ethnic conflicts. Traditions such as bride kidnapping persist despite their illegality, and women remain de facto second-class citizens.

At the same time, Kyrgyzstan remains a secular state, where religion has not become a cause of political upheaval – in contrast to the struggle for power between regional elites.

In foreign policy, the country balances between the interests of China and Turkey. Beijing invests in infrastructure, and Ankara in education and security forces. However, Chinese influence causes concern among the local population due to the risk of losing sovereignty.

It is worth noting that Japarov, who came to power on a wave of protests, has strengthened presidential powers and returned control of the Kumtor gold mine to the state. During his three years in power, the average salary has risen from $200 to $350, but the country still faces threats of coups – five attempts have been prevented in the past year and a half.

The question remains open: will Kyrgyzstan, which has experienced so many crises, be able to realize the ambitious plans of its leader or will it continue to balance between hope and another revolution?