The total volume of Kyrgyzstan's foreign and mutual trade in 2024 amounted to $16 billion, which is 0.9% more than in 2023. The main growth was driven by an increase in exports, while imports showed a decline.
According to the 2024 report from the National Statistics Committee of Kyrgyzstan, the country’s export deliveries amounted to $3.8 billion, reflecting a 13% increase compared to the previous year. Imports, however, fell by 2.4% to $12.2 billion. Despite this slight decrease, Kyrgyzstan remains dependent on external supplies of goods and raw materials, Economist.kg reports.
Below are data on Kyrgyzstan’s key trading partners and the goods the country actively exported and imported in 2024.
Key Trading Partners of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan's leading foreign economic partners remain China, Russia, Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan.
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China is Kyrgyzstan’s largest trading partner, with total trade turnover reaching $5.5 billion in 2024. Kyrgyz exports to China amounted to $123.6 million, while imports from China significantly exceeded this figure, totaling $5.4 billion.
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Russia ranks as the second-largest partner, with trade turnover of $3.5 billion. Kyrgyzstan exported over $1 billion worth of goods to Russia, while imports from Russia stood at $2.5 billion.
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Kazakhstan, as a strategic neighbor and important economic ally, had a total trade volume of $1.3 billion. Kyrgyz exports amounted to $418.4 million, while imports from Kazakhstan exceeded $921.6 million.
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The United Kingdom is a key export market for Kyrgyzstan, primarily for precious metals. In 2024, exports to the UK reached $1.2 billion, whereas imports remained minimal at only $55.5 million. Notably, the UK is the only country on the list where Kyrgyzstan acts primarily as an exporter.
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Uzbekistan is one of Kyrgyzstan’s largest trading partners in Central Asia. In 2024, the trade turnover between the two countries reached $852.8 million. Kyrgyzstan supplied goods worth $346.9 million to Uzbekistan while importing $505.9 million in return.
Kyrgyzstan’s Major Exported Goods
The ten largest export items that generated the highest revenue for Kyrgyzstan include:
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Gold – $1.4 billion
- Gold remains Kyrgyzstan’s primary export commodity. In 2024, the majority of gold was shipped to the UK—14.9 tons worth $1.2 billion. The UK only began purchasing Kyrgyz gold in April 2023 but quickly became the main buyer by the end of the year.
- The second-largest importer of Kyrgyz gold was China, receiving over 1.8 tons valued at $129 million. Other countries purchased significantly smaller volumes:
- Switzerland – 971.4 kg worth $63.5 million
- United Arab Emirates (UAE) – 13.5 kg worth $881,900
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Precious metal ores and concentrates – $199.7 million
- Kyrgyzstan exported 79,000 tons of precious metal ores and concentrates in 2024. The main buyers were Kazakhstan, China, and Uzbekistan.
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Petroleum products – $135.8 million
- According to the National Statistics Committee, Kyrgyzstan exported 218,800 tons of petroleum products, primarily to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China, and the UAE.
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Decorative knitted or textile products – $94.7 million
- The country exported 55,200 tons of knitted and textile goods, almost all of which went to Russia, with a small portion sent to Kazakhstan.
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Telecommunication equipment and parts – $90.7 million
- In 2024, Kyrgyzstan exported 777,500 units of telecommunication equipment, with 450,700 units sent to Russia and 321,600 units to the UAE.
Additionally, Kyrgyzstan exported the following goods in significant volumes:
- Vegetables and legumes – $72 million
- Auxiliary equipment for textile machines – $67.9 million
- Copper waste and scrap – $61.2 million
- Parts and accessories for automobiles and tractors – $59.7 million
- Knitted fabrics – $56.1 million
Kyrgyzstan’s Major Imported Goods
The largest share of imports consisted of automobiles, fuel, and industrial equipment.
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Passenger cars – $1.7 billion
- Kyrgyzstan actively imported cars, totaling 140,900 units. The leading supplier was China, from which 66,600 vehicles were imported at a cost of $910 million. South Korea ranked second, supplying 43,100 cars worth $284 million. Other sources included:
- USA – 6,600 vehicles
- Georgia – 6,100 vehicles
- Russia – 5,200 vehicles
- Kyrgyzstan actively imported cars, totaling 140,900 units. The leading supplier was China, from which 66,600 vehicles were imported at a cost of $910 million. South Korea ranked second, supplying 43,100 cars worth $284 million. Other sources included:
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Dishwashers – $1.2 billion
- Kyrgyzstan imported 141,500 tons of dishwashers and related equipment, with China being the main supplier. Smaller shipments came from Turkey, Germany, and Belarus. Interestingly, Kyrgyzstan also exported dishwashers to Russia worth $41.8 million, indicating a growing re-export industry.
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Petroleum products – $711.7 million
- Kyrgyzstan remains dependent on fuel imports, primarily sourced from:
- Russia – $556 million
- Kazakhstan – $114 million
- Kyrgyzstan remains dependent on fuel imports, primarily sourced from:
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Automobile gasoline – $327.4 million
- In 2024, Russia remained the primary supplier of gasoline to Kyrgyzstan, exporting 751.1 million liters. Kazakhstan also supplied a smaller amount—4.1 million liters.
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Harvesting and threshing machinery – $279.7 million
- Kyrgyzstan actively purchased agricultural machinery in 2024, with nearly all equipment coming from China.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
February 20, 2025