Uzbekistan’s labor productivity remains significantly below regional leaders, according to the latest 2025 global ranking released by the International Labour Organization.

The report places Uzbekistan 112th out of 185 countries, with output measured at $13.7 per hour worked. The figure reflects the current structural features of the national economy and highlights a substantial gap between the republic and the world’s technological powerhouses, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

As in previous years, the top positions are occupied by highly developed economies driven by innovation and automation. Ireland leads the ranking with $164.7 per hour, followed by Luxembourg at $159.5 and Singapore at $100.4. Their strong performance is attributed to advanced regulation and a heavy focus on high value-added sectors such as finance, logistics, and high technology.

Within Central Asia, the situation is mixed. Uzbekistan outperformed Tajikistan ($10.3 per hour) and Kyrgyzstan ($10 per hour), but continues to lag far behind Kazakhstan. Ranked 57th globally, Kazakhstan recorded $41.5 per hour - nearly three times higher than Uzbekistan’s index.

Experts say the region’s relatively low productivity is largely due to continued reliance on labor-intensive industries, including agriculture and textile manufacturing. For Uzbekistan to make a significant leap in future rankings, analysts stress the need for deeper industrial modernization, wider adoption of IT solutions, and education reforms aimed at preparing specialists for more technologically advanced sectors of the economy.