https://joom.ag/X5je policy brief-psia-uzbekistan-eng_3 | Seite 10

Addressing Urban Poverty in Uzbekistan in the Context of the Economic Crisis
Figure1. Urban and Rural Population in 1994–2025, (in millions)
Source: CER calculations based on the data of the State Statistics
Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan
land per inhabitant has declined from 0.22 to 0.12 hectare (Center for
Economic Research 2009a).
These factors are likely to hinder agricultural development and thus
to drive a many rural workers to urban areas or abroad. Employment
in construction and other low-skilled sectors of the Russian and
Kazakhstan economies has so far provided a ‘safety valve’ for growing
pressure on the urban labour market in Uzbekistan. But the global crisis
has seriously disrupted such employment opportunities and neither the
Russian nor Kazakhstan economy is expected to regain robust growth
in 2010. Thus, fewer Uzbek workers can expect to find jobs in the CIS
region in the near future and will presumably seek opportunities in the
urban areas of Uzbekistan.
But such employment opportunities have been adversely affected
by the global crisis; and neither the Russian nor Kazakhstan economies
is expected to regain robust growth in 2010. Thus, fewer Uzbek workers
can expect to find jobs in the CIS region in the coming period, and will
be obliged to seek opportunities in the urban areas of Uzbekistan.
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