POPULATION AGING AND REGIONAL INEQUALITIES IN UZBEKISTAN’S ECONOMY

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 349 - 376, 30.10.2025

Munisa Djumanova

Abstract

This paper examines the economic implications of Uzbekistan’s demographic transition by analyzing how population age structures, human capital, and regional disparities shape growth. Using municipal-level data from Uz.Stat (2000–2023) and econometric methods, it identifies the prime working-age group (35–49) as the main driver of productivity, while younger (0–19) and older (65+) cohorts create dependency pressures. Urban-rural divides further mediate these effects, with population density both constraining and enhancing economic performance. Educational attainment emerges as a crucial factor mitigating demographic pressures and supporting growth. The study highlights the need for targeted policies to harness Uzbekistan’s demographic dividend and manage aging challenges through investments in education, healthcare, and labor market reforms particularly for women and older workers offering insights for fostering inclusive and sustainable development across emerging economies.

Keywords

Demographic dividend , Population aging , Uzbekistan , Economic growth , Regional analysis

Ethical Statement

This study did not require approval from an ethics committee as it did not involve human participants, animals, or sensitive personal data. All data used in this research were obtained from publicly available sources.

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