POVERTY AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS OF KYRGYZSTAN: CHALLENGES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

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Abstract

Mountainous regions, covering about 90% of Kyrgyzstan's territory, are vital to the country's environmental sustainability, socio-economic development, and cultural heritage, yet they continue to face persistent poverty, limited access to education and healthcare, poor infrastructure, labor migration, and unequal economic opportunities. This study examines poverty and quality of life in Kyrgyzstan's mountainous regions to identify the key socio-economic factors driving regional inequality and assess their implications for sustainable territorial development. The research applies an interdisciplinary methodology combining systems analysis, comparative analysis, statistical evaluation, and content analysis, drawing on data from the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic and analytical reports by UNDP, the World Bank, FAO, and other international organizations. The analysis shows that poverty in mountain areas goes beyond income deprivation, being closely linked to geographic isolation, limited employment, inadequate infrastructure, unequal access to public services, and continuing outmigration of the working-age population—factors that jointly constrain development and lower quality of life. By integrating socio-economic, demographic, and territorial perspectives within a single analytical framework, the study advances understanding of regional inequality in Kyrgyzstan and offers a basis for evidence-based policy strategies to improve infrastructure, expand access to education and healthcare, strengthen local economies, and reduce regional disparities.