(5 February 2026 | Source: Financial Times)
Kazakhstan's economy in 2025 posted growth rates above the global average, driven by expanding production, an influx of investment, and the development of logistics. The indicators point to an ongoing shift from a raw materials model towards a more diversified structure, where the role of manufacturing industries and transport is growing.
The Financial Times reports this, citing EQS Newswire.
GDP GROWTH AND CONTRIBUTION OF KEY SECTORS
Kazakhstan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025 grew by 6.5%, which exceeds the forecast global average growth of around 3%. Industrial production grew by 7.4%, including manufacturing — by 6.4%. The highest rates were seen in mechanical engineering (12.9%), the chemical industry (9.8%), and food production (8.1%).
TRANSPORT, CONSTRUCTION AND TRADE
The transport sector grew by 20.4% due to increased cargo flows and the country's transit role between China and Europe. Construction added 15.9%, linked to infrastructure and social projects. Trade increased by 8.9%, with the wholesale segment playing a leading role.
SHIFT IN THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURE
Between 2014 and 2024, the share of manufacturing in GDP rose from 10.2% to 12.4%, while the contribution of the extractive sector fell from 15.2% to 12%. Over this period, output in manufacturing industries increased by almost 50%, with average annual growth of over 4%.
ENGINEERING AND EXPORTS OF PROCESSED GOODS
The transformation is particularly noticeable in mechanical engineering. Passenger car production grew fourfold and reached 159,000 units in 2025. Exports of processed goods increased from $18.4 billion in 2014 to $28.8 billion in 2024, reflecting a growing share of products with higher added value.
INVESTMENT CYCLE AND MAJOR PROJECTS
According to the Financial Times, the process has accelerated in recent years as part of the so-called "investment cycle". In 2025, new production facilities for international car brands, passenger carriages, and auto components were launched, along with a project to localise John Deere (an American mechanical engineering company producing agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery) equipment.
Eurasian Resources Group (a large mining and raw materials company operating in Kazakhstan, Brazil, and Central Africa) is implementing projects in the field of rare earth metals, which are expected to place the country as second in the world for the production of gallium.
ROLE OF TRANSNATIONAL COMPANIES
In the consumer sector, PepsiCo invested over $160 million in building the largest snack production plant in Central Asia.
The company Mars is preparing a project for a pet food plant with a capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes per year, with investments of over 88.8 billion tenge (approximately $180 million).
SCALE OF THE ECONOMY AND CAPITAL INFLOW
According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kazakhstan's GDP reached $319 billion in 2025, placing the country among the 50 largest economies in the world.
According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), in 2025 the country attracted around $19 billion in new projects, accounting for 89% of all such investments in North and Central Asia.
By the autumn of 2025, the Investment Headquarters under the Government of Kazakhstan was supporting over 210 projects with a total value of around $113 billion. Concurrently, the government is increasing spending on human capital: 39% of the 2026 budget is allocated to healthcare, education, and social support. This creates conditions for further industrialisation without altering the forecasts and assessments presented in the materials.