Kazakhstan Rises to 55th in Economic Complexity Index
Astana, The Gulf Observer: Harvard Growth Lab has released updated results of the Economic Complexity Index (ECI), placing Kazakhstan 55th among 145 countries in 2024 with a score of 0.38, according to media reports.
The revised data significantly altered Kazakhstan’s earlier standing. In the initial 2023 edition, the country ranked 89th with a score of -0.44. However, in the updated version for the same year, Kazakhstan moved up sharply to 52nd place with a positive score of 0.45, reclassifying it as an economy with increased complexity beginning in 2023.
Although Kazakhstan slipped three positions in 2024—from 52nd to 55th—the broader trajectory reflects a structural breakthrough. Between 2020 and 2024, the country advanced 32 places, rising from 87th to 55th, marking the strongest improvement in the region.
By comparison, Uzbekistan improved from 86th to 70th place, Kyrgyzstan from 78th to 72nd, and Turkmenistan from 127th to 126th over the same period. Meanwhile, Russia experienced a significant decline, dropping from 38th to 67th position.
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 to Qazinform News Agency, Swedish pracademic and international business strategist Mr. Alex Matrsson described Kazakhstan’s rise as a reflection of its long-term economic strategy.
“As a Swedish Pracademic and International Business Strategist, I view Kazakhstan’s recent rise in the Economic Complexity Index 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 said.
Matrsson emphasized that the progress is policy-driven rather than incidental, highlighting Kazakhstan’s 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, coupled with institutional stability and openness to international cooperation, enhances its appeal to foreign investors.
The improved ranking, analysts say, reflects not merely a statistical adjustment but deeper structural reforms aimed at diversification and a gradual transition away from a resource-dependent economic model.
