LocationsUNDP: Kazakhstan maintains its position in the Human Development Index rankings, but action is needed to address inequality and environmental risks
May 8, 2025
According to the Human Development Index (HDI) published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Kazakhstan remains among the countries with a very high level of human development. The country ranks 60th out of 193 countries and territories, with an HDI of 0.837. From 1990 to 2023, Kazakhstan's HDI increased by 21.5 percent (from 0.689 to 0.837). However, when adjusted for inequality, the HDI drops to 0.766, indicating a loss of 8.5 percent. This shows that rising inequality leads to greater losses in human development.
With regard to gender aspects, reflected in the Gender Inequality Index—which measures disparities in three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment, and economic activity—Kazakhstan ranks 50th out of 172 assessed countries, with a Gender Inequality Index score of 0.182.
Since 2020, the HDI has also incorporated two additional indicators—carbon dioxide emissions and resource intensity—highlighting how development outcomes would change if human well-being and reduced environmental impact were treated as key elements of progress. Kazakhstan's HDI, adjusted for the pressure of human activity on the planet, is also lower than the standard HDI and stands at 0.687, which is slightly above the global average (0.680). In an ideal scenario, the standard and environmentally adjusted HDI values would be equal.
Since 2022, Kazakhstan, along with other countries in Europe and Central Asia, has shown positive progress in terms of HDI. The top countries in the global rankings are Iceland (HDI – 0.972), Norway (0.970), and Switzerland (0.970).
"Kazakhstan is demonstrating steady progress in human development, but the persistent level of inequality and increasing pressure on natural resources point to the need for fairer and more sustainable solutions. The United Nations Development Programme in Kazakhstan remains a reliable partner in implementing the country’s national development priorities, ensuring no one is left behind,"said Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.
The 2025 Human Development Report "A matter of choice: people and possibilities in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)" shows that human development progress slows to a 35-year low. Instead of seeing sustained recovery following the period of exceptional crises of 2020-2021, the report reveals unexpectedly weak progress. Projections for 2024 reveal stalled progress on the HDI in all regions across the world.
Beyond the alarming rate of deceleration in global development, the report finds widening inequalities between rich and poor countries. Low HDI and Very High HDI countries continues to increase, according to the report. This reverses a long-term trend that has seen a reduction in inequalities between wealthy and poor nations. Development challenges for countries with the lowest HDI scores are especially severe - driven by increasing trade tensions, a worsening debt crisis and the rise of jobless industrialization. The report also shows how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could reignite development.
"Amidst this global turmoil, we must urgently explore new ways to drive development," said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. "As Artificial Intelligence continues its rapid advance across so many aspects of our lives, we should consider its potential for development. New capabilities are emerging almost daily, and while AI is no panacea, the choices we make hold the potential to reignite human development and open new pathways and possibilities".
The 2025 Human Development Report is available at https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-developmentreport-2025 .
