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Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were the only entries from Central Asia in World Population Review’s 2026 list of the world’s 100 most powerful countries. The region’s two largest economies ranked 34th and 71st, respectively.
Kazakhstan placed between Hungary and Egypt, ahead of Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, and Saudi Arabia. Among former Soviet republics, Russia ranked higher, in 11th place, while Ukraine came in 51st and Belarus 57th.
Uzbekistan ranked between Oman and Sri Lanka, 37 places below Kazakhstan. It placed ahead of Armenia (80th) and Georgia (91st).
The top 10 countries were China, the United States, India, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Italy.
World Population Review attributes the ranking to the Best Countries study by U.S. News & World Report. Its explanation describes an assessment based on perceptions of countries’ economic and political influence, military strength, international alliances, and leadership.
Perception-based rankings do not directly measure economic output or military capabilities, and their results can differ considerably from statistical indicators. World Population Review provides limited information about the methodology behind its 2026 figures.
The absence of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan from the list does not necessarily reflect their importance to regional trade, security, and diplomacy.
Times of Central Asia