Kazakhstan has emerged as the highest-ranked country in Central Asia in the 2026 Legatum Prosperity Index, placing 66th out of 161 countries. The latest assessment highlights the country’s strong performance in education, family integrity and overall societal development.
Kazakhstan has been recognised as the leading country in Central Asia in the 2026 Legatum Prosperity Index, ranking 66th globally out of 161 countries. Published by the Prosperity Institute, the index evaluates national prosperity using more than 130 indicators across the three core domains of development, freedom and society.
The 2026 edition introduces a revised methodology that places greater emphasis on balanced performance across all areas, ensuring that strengths in one category cannot fully compensate for weaknesses in another. Under this framework, Kazakhstan ranked 52nd globally for Development, 45th for Society, and 47th for Integrity of Society, reflecting consistent progress across multiple dimensions of prosperity.
Kazakhstan recorded particularly strong results in Education, where it ranked 32nd worldwide, and Integrity of Families, placing 30th globally. The country also performed well in Standard of Living, securing 53rd place, demonstrating continued improvements in social wellbeing and economic conditions.
Within Central Asia, Kazakhstan outperformed its regional neighbours, with Kyrgyzstan ranking 87th, Uzbekistan 94th, Tajikistan 129th, and Turkmenistan 150th. It also ranked ahead of neighbouring Russia, which placed 103rd overall. Globally, Switzerland topped the 2026 rankings, followed by Norway, Ireland, Denmark, and Finland, with Switzerland recognised for its consistently strong performance across all pillars of prosperity.
The 2026 Legatum Prosperity Index covers 161 countries, representing approximately 98 per cent of the world’s population, and draws upon more than 615,000 data points from 35 sources. The latest findings reinforce Kazakhstan’s position as the region’s leading performer in national prosperity, building on its earlier ranking of 61st in the Global Social Progress Index.
Source: Kazinform
