How Trade Openness Affect Economic Growth in Central Asian Landlocked Developing Countries?

This study examines the relationship between trade openness and economic growth in four landlocked Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—over the period 2000 to 2023. The results show that trade openness, capital formation, and institutional quality have positive and significant effects on economic growth, while inflation has a negative and significant effect. The findings suggest that in the landlocked Central Asian context, the growth benefits of trade openness depend on complementary domestic factors such as investment levels and governance quality. Policy implications for maximizing growth from trade liberalization are discussed.