FREE ECONOMIC ZONES AS CATALYSTS FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: HISTORICAL AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM UZBEKISTAN’S NAVOI, JIZZAKH AND ANGREN ZONES (2008–2023)
- Authors
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Saidmurodov Shohrukh Akbarkhoja ugli
Jizzakh Regional Pedagogical Excellence Center, Senior Lecturer in "Social and Economic Sciences"
Author
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- Keywords:
- Free economic zone, industrial zone, investment, tax incentive, export potential, regional development, Navoi FEZ, Jizzakh FEZ, Angren FEZ, Uzbekistan economy, foreign direct investment.
- Abstract
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Purpose: This article examines the historical formation, developmental characteristics, and strategic directions of free economic and industrial zones (FEZs) in Uzbekistan through historical-empirical analysis. The Navoi, Jizzakh and Angren FEZs were comprehensively studied in terms of reforms implemented from 2008 to 2024. Methods: The study employed historical-comparative analysis, chronological sequencing, and statistical data analysis. Primary sources included Presidential Decrees, State Statistics Committee reports, and over 90 scholarly publications. Results: By end-2022, Uzbekistan operated 37 FEZs and 296 small industrial zones, absorbing total investments of $2.6 billion. The Jizzakh FEZ produced 4,426.2 billion soums worth of goods from 2015 to 2021; Angren FEZ exports grew 95-fold from 2013 to 2017. Novelty: For the first time, a comparative historical analysis of three zones was conducted, empirically substantiating the effectiveness of the tax incentive system and identifying infrastructure constraints. Conclusions: Free economic zones are confirmed as a primary structural reform instrument for Uzbekistan’s economic modernization.
- References
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1. Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Free Economic Zones (No. 220-I). Tashkent, 25 April 1996.
2. Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Special Economic Zones. Tashkent, 17 February 2020.3. Presidential Decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the Establishment of a Free Industrial Economic Zone in Navoi Oblast (PF-4059). Tashkent, 2 December 2008.
4. Presidential Decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the Establishment of the Angren Special Industrial Zone. Tashkent, 13 December 2012.
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- Published
- 2026-05-02
- Issue
- Vol. 2 No. 4 (2026)
- Section
- Articles
- License
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
