Uzbekistan Improved Its Position in the Index of Economic Freedom
2026-04-06 14:00:00 / News
According to the 2026 Index of Economic Freedom published by The Heritage Foundation, Uzbekistan scored 60.3 points and ranked 86th globally, improving its result by 2.3 points from the previous year. This moved the country into the moderately free category. Notably, Uzbekistan’s current score is already above the 2026 global average of 59.9.
Uzbekistan’s strongest positions are particularly visible in the components related to openness for trade and capital. Within the Open Markets pillar, the country scores 80.6 in Trade Freedom and 70.0 in Investment Freedom. Both indicators stand above the corresponding global averages of 70.2 and 53.4. This shows that trade and investment openness are now among the strongest elements of Uzbekistan’s economic profile in the Heritage assessment.
The positive assessment of Uzbekistan in international indices is supported by the dynamics of key economic indicators. Foreign trade turnover grew from $63.5 billion in 2023 to $81.2 billion in 2025 (+27.8%). Exports increased from $24.9 billion to $33.8 billion (+36.0%). The volume of foreign investments and loans into fixed capital rose from 201.7 trillion UZS (~$15.9 billion) in 2023 to 422.1 trillion UZS (~$33.2 billion) in 2025 (+109.3%).
Operational data for 2026 also point to sustained external economic activity. In January–February 2026, Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover reached USD 11.6 billion, which is 7.1% higher than in the same period of the previous year. In this context, the 2026 Index of Economic Freedom reflects not only an improved ranking position, but also a broader pattern of steady growth in trade, exports, and investment activity.