REGIONAL ECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN UZBEKISTAN SINCE 2017: THE ROLE OF TASHKENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68549/2fd8an66Keywords:
regional inequality, spatial inequality, regional convergence, sigma-convergence, regional development, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.Abstract
This study examines how regional economic inequality in Uzbekistan evolved between 2017 and 2025, with particular attention to the position of Tashkent. The analysis covers all 14 regional units using annual data for five indicators: gross regional product per capita, average nominal wages, industrial production per capita, market services per capita, and fixed-capital investment per capita.
Regional dispersion is measured using the coefficient of variation and changes are assessed through σ-convergence, with the Theil index providing an alternative robustness measure. A leave-out test examines the influence of Tashkent and Navoi on observed patterns. Across all regions, GRP per capita, wages, industrial production, and market services show σ-divergence, while fixed-capital investment shows σ-convergence. The Theil index confirms the same qualitative pattern. Leave-out results show that GRP divergence and investment convergence persist across all specifications. Tashkent substantially amplifies wage and especially market-service disparities, while Navoi strongly influences industrial dispersion.
The findings show that regional inequality in Uzbekistan is multidimensional and that national patterns reflect both broad regional divergence and the distinct economic structures of leading regional economies.
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