The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects Kazakhstan’s nominal gross domestic product (GDP) at nearly $398 billion in 2026. The figure places the country 47th in a global ranking published by Visual Capitalist, based on the IMF’s October forecasts.
The fund expects Kazakhstan’s economy to grow by 4.4% this year after adjusting for inflation, compared with global growth of 3.1%.
An earlier ranking, published in January, placed Kazakhstan 50th, with projected GDP of about $320 billion for 2026.
The tenge, Kazakhstan’s currency, gained approximately 18% against the dollar over the year to October 28. A stronger tenge increases the dollar value of Kazakhstan’s economy, even without an equivalent increase in actual production.
Kazakhstan remains Central Asia’s largest economy by nominal GDP. Uzbekistan, the region’s second-largest economy, is projected to have a GDP of $178.17 billion in 2026. Turkmenistan’s projected GDP is about $83 billion, Kyrgyzstan’s is $26.69 billion, and Tajikistan’s is $21.11 billion.
Kazakhstan’s nominal GDP per person is projected to exceed $19,000 in 2026.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy estimates that the economy grew by 4.2% in January–September 2026, with the non-resource sector expanding by 5.4%. Construction output increased by 11.5%, while manufacturing, transportation, and trade also grew. Oil production, meanwhile, fell by 8.3%.
According to the ministry’s October 13 report, manufacturing accounted for 14.1% of GDP in the first half of the year. Machinery production grew by 22.8% in January–September, while chemicals and pharmaceuticals also recorded strong growth.
The IMF expects Kazakhstan’s real economic growth to accelerate to 4.9% in 2027.
