The number of employees at small and medium-sized enterprises in Kyrgyzstan increased by 21% over the past year

In 2025, the average annual headcount of employees at small and medium-sized enterprises in Kyrgyzstan reached 138,800 people. This is 21.3% more than the previous year, when the figure stood at 114,400 people. These data are cited in statistics on the number of employees at enterprises by economic activity.

The largest number of employees is in the manufacturing sector. In 2025, this sector employed 39,300 people, compared to 30,000 in 2024. Wholesale and retail trade, including the repair of automobiles and motorcycles, ranks second with 26,100 employees. A year earlier, this figure stood at 26,600 people.

Construction ranks third. Over the course of the year, the number of workers in the sector rose from 13,900 to 21,600, an increase of 55.5%.

Growth was also recorded in the hotel and restaurant industry. The number of employees rose from 3,500 to 4,900, or by 41.4%. In education, the figure rose from 3,200 to 5,000, representing an increase of 58.7%.

Overall, 88,800 people were employed at small enterprises in 2025, compared to 75,800 a year earlier. At medium-sized enterprises, the number of employees rose from 38,600 to 50,000.

Thus, the number of employees at small enterprises increased by 17.2%, and at medium-sized enterprises—by 29.5%.

In some sectors, however, there was a decline. In retail trade, the number of employees fell by 1.7% to 26,100. In financial intermediation and insurance, the figure decreased from 2,700 to 2,400, or by 9.6%.