With more than 33 million inhabitants, Uzbekistan is by far the most populous country in Central Asia. Moreover, it has one of the fastest-growing populations in the region.60 Since 1991, the country’s population increased by almost 60 %. As a result of this fast growth, Uzbekistan’s workforce is particularly young. Nearly 55 % of its inhabitants are below 30 years of age.61 In the coming years, the Uzbek population is expected to grow another 33 %, to 44 million by 2035. Simultaneously, today’s large child and youth population will move into the labor force, making it the largest Uzbekistan has ever had