Post-Soviet States after 30 years of Independence: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Georgia!

Summary

In this video, the host explores Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, former USSR countries, 32 years post-independence. They discuss each nation's geography, population, economy, and political landscape, highlighting challenges like corruption and nostalgia for Soviet times. The host shares personal experiences, emphasizing the friendly locals and safety, recommending Georgia as a top travel destination for its diverse landscapes and rich culture.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan were all once part of the USSR and gained independence in 1991.
• 🗺️ Kazakhstan is the largest of the four countries, similar in size to Argentina, while Georgia is the smallest, comparable to Ireland.
• 🏙️ Population trends vary: Georgia has seen a decline since 1991, while Uzbekistan's population has nearly doubled.
• 🏛️ Each country's capital has unique characteristics: Astana (Kazakhstan), Tbilisi (Georgia), Baku (Azerbaijan), and Tashkent (Uzbekistan).
• 📈 Azerbaijan has a predominantly oil-based economy with strong ties to Turkey, while Kazakhstan has vast oil reserves and agricultural potential.
• 💼 Corruption is a significant issue in Kazakhstan, affecting business and major projects like the LRT Line in Astana.
• 🌐 Georgia has undergone economic reforms since 2003, making it business-friendly with low tax rates for non-residents.
• 📊 Uzbekistan has seen rapid economic and social reforms, opening up to foreign investment and developing its capital, Tashkent.
• 🏦 The economies compared: Kazakhstan has the largest economy and the highest GDP per capita, while Uzbekistan has the lowest GDP per capita.
• 🏅 Georgia ranks highest in terms of political freedoms, being partly free, while Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are considered not free by Freedom House.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The people of these countries are generally friendly, with rural areas of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan being particularly welcoming.

Q & A

Which countries were discussed in the video?

The video discussed Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.

What is the population of Kazakhstan?

The population of Kazakhstan is 19.3 million people.

What is the capital city of Georgia?

The capital city of Georgia is Tbilisi.

Which regions of Georgia are under occupation?

The regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are currently under occupation.

What is the population growth trend in Azerbaijan since 1991?

The population of Azerbaijan has increased from 7.2 million in 1991 to 10 million.

How does the video describe the population growth in Uzbekistan since 1991?

The population of Uzbekistan has nearly doubled from 20 million in 1991 to almost 35 million.

What is the main economy of Azerbaijan?

Azerbaijan's economy is predominantly oil-based.

What is the biggest problem in doing business with Kazakhstan according to the World Economic Forum?

Corruption is listed as the biggest problem in doing business with Kazakhstan.

How does the video describe Georgia's economic reforms since the Rose Revolution in 2003?

Georgia has undertaken a number of institutional reforms modernizing the economy, minimizing bureaucracy, and introducing great tax policies.

What is the Freedom House rating for Azerbaijan in terms of political freedoms?

Azerbaijan gets nine points out of 100, which is considered not free.

Which country among the discussed has the highest GDP per capita?

Kazakhstan has the highest GDP per capita at $11,591.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Overview of Post-USSR Countries

The video discusses the experiences and statistics of four former USSR countries: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. These countries gained independence after the USSR dissolved in 1991. The video provides an overview of each country's size, population, and capital city. Kazakhstan is highlighted as the largest but least densely populated, with Astana as its capital. Georgia is noted for its declining population and regions under occupation. Azerbaijan's population growth and Baku's significance are mentioned. Uzbekistan's rapid population growth and Tashkent as its capital are also discussed.

05:01

📈 Economic Insights and Challenges

The video delves into the economies of these countries. Azerbaijan relies on oil and has strong ties with Turkey, with a pipeline bypassing Russia. Corruption is a significant issue in Kazakhstan, which has vast natural resources but faces challenges due to questionable billion-dollar projects. Georgia has undergone reforms since 2003, with a focus on tourism and favorable tax policies. Uzbekistan is transforming from a command economy to a market economy, with reforms attracting foreign investment. The economies are compared, with Kazakhstan having the largest economy and Uzbekistan the smallest in terms of GDP per capita.

10:02

🏛️ Cultural, Political, and Social Observations

The video covers human rights, political freedoms, and religious aspects of the countries. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan score low on the Freedom House index, indicating limited freedoms. Kazakhstan and Georgia fare better, with Georgia being the only partly free country on the list. The video discusses the nostalgia for USSR times among older generations and the contrasting views of the youth. It also mentions the prevalence of corruption and nepotism, with personal anecdotes about bribes and the 'who you know' principle.

15:03

🌟 Travel Recommendations and Future Outlook

The video provides travel recommendations, suggesting starting with Georgia for its diverse landscapes and rich culture. Azerbaijan is noted for its mountains and ski resorts, while Kazakhstan offers a variety of landscapes and the city of Almaty. Uzbekistan is recommended for its Silk Road cities and modern Tashkent. The video concludes with a summary of each country's current state and future prospects, with Georgia facing population decline and political challenges, Kazakhstan struggling with corruption, Azerbaijan showing economic prosperity but limited freedoms, and Uzbekistan relying heavily on agriculture and tourism with uncertain reforms.

Keywords

💡USSR

The USSR, or Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, was a federal socialist state that existed from 1922 to 1991, comprising a number of Soviet socialist republics. In the video, the speaker reflects on how countries like Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan have evolved since gaining independence from the USSR in 1991. The USSR's dissolution is a central theme as it sets the historical context for the video's exploration of these nations' current states.

💡Independence

Independence refers to the state of being self-governing or sovereign. In the context of the video, it is used to describe the autonomy and self-rule that the countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan have had since the dissolution of the USSR. The speaker assesses how these countries have fared economically, politically, and socially 32 years after gaining independence.

💡Population Density

Population density is a measure of the number of people inhabiting a given area. The video highlights Kazakhstan as one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with a vast land area and a relatively small population. This demographic characteristic has implications for the country's development, economic potential, and social dynamics, which are discussed in the video.

💡Economic Reforms

Economic reforms refer to changes in a country's economic policies or systems aimed at improving its economic performance. The video discusses how countries like Georgia and Uzbekistan have undergone significant economic reforms since their independence. These reforms have included modernizing institutions, reducing bureaucracy, and attracting foreign investment, which are critical for their economic development and diversification.

💡Human Rights

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled. The video evaluates the human rights situation in the discussed countries, using the Freedom House ratings as a metric. It underscores the importance of human rights and political freedoms in shaping the political landscape and the quality of life for citizens in these post-USSR nations.

💡Corruption

Corruption is the dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery or embezzlement. The video identifies corruption as a significant issue in countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where it hinders economic growth and development. The speaker shares personal anecdotes about encountering corruption, illustrating its prevalence and impact on daily life and business practices.

💡Religion

Religion plays a significant role in the cultural and social fabric of a country. The video discusses the religious composition of the countries, noting the predominance of Islam in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, and Christianity in Georgia. It also touches on the secular nature of Azerbaijan and the religious conservatism in some regions of Uzbekistan, highlighting how religion influences societal values and practices.

💡Nepotism

Nepotism is the practice of showing favoritism to relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs. In the video, the speaker mentions nepotism as a pervasive issue in the countries discussed, where personal connections often determine access to opportunities and resources. This practice can undermine meritocracy and contribute to social and economic inequality.

💡Intentional Homicide Rate

The intentional homicide rate is a statistical measure of the number of murders per a certain population size, used as an indicator of a country's safety and security levels. The video compares the intentional homicide rates of the discussed countries to assess their safety. It finds Uzbekistan to have the lowest rate, suggesting it is the safest among them, while Kazakhstan has a higher rate, indicating a relatively higher level of violence.

💡Silk Road

The Silk Road refers to the historical network of trade routes that connected the East and West, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture. The video suggests visiting Uzbekistan to follow the magical Silk Road, highlighting cities like Bukhara and Samarkand, which are steeped in history and offer a glimpse into the region's rich past. This historical context adds depth to the cultural heritage and tourism appeal of the region.

Highlights

The video discusses Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, all former USSR countries.

Kazakhstan is the largest of the four countries, ranking ninth in the world for size.

Kazakhstan has a low population density, with only 19.3 million people.

Georgia has experienced a declining population since 1991.

Georgia has regions under occupation, which affects its stability.

Azerbaijan has seen positive population growth since 1991.

Uzbekistan has almost doubled its population since gaining independence.

Azerbaijan's economy is oil-based with strong ties to Turkey.

Kazakhstan has vast oil reserves and faces issues with corruption.

Georgia has undergone economic reforms and has a pro-Western stance.

Uzbekistan is rapidly transforming its economy with new social reforms.

Kazakhstan has the largest economy among the four countries.

Uzbekistan has the lowest GDP per capita, indicating it's the poorest of the group.

Azerbaijan is considered not free by Freedom House.

Uzbekistan's political freedom is similar to Azerbaijan's.

Kazakhstan's political freedom is slightly better but still limited.

Georgia is the freest country of the four, with a partly free rating.

The video shares personal experiences of friendliness in rural areas.

Safety is generally good, with Uzbekistan being the safest.

Older generations tend to be nostalgic about USSR times, while youths are not.

Nepotism and corruption are significant challenges in these countries.

Georgia is recommended as a starting point for visitors due to its diverse attractions.

Each country has unique offerings for tourists.

The video concludes with a summary of each country's current state and future prospects.

Transcripts

hello guys my name is slower this is

Russian plus and in this video I wanted

to talk about a few countries that have

visited over the last couple years and

those are Azerbaijan Georgia Uzbekistan

and Kazakhstan now what all these

countries have in common they all used

to be part of the USSR and as you might

know the USSR started in 1922 and it

ended in 1991 so I thought it would be a

good idea to make a video about how

these countries are doing some 32 years

after they got their independence I'm

going to be sharing some statistical

information as well as my personal

experiences and if you look at these

countries it's easy to see that

Kazakhstan is by far the largest country

it's 2.7 million square kilometers it's

about the size of Argentina and it's the

ninth largest country in the world and

at the same time its population is just

19.3 million people which makes it one

of the least densely populated countries

in the world and the capital of

Kazakhstan is Astana this is what it

looks like

Georgia on the other hand is the

smallest country on the list the area is

just 69.7

000 square kilometers it's about the

size of Ireland and the population is

just 3.7 million which is actually down

from 5.4 million in 1991 so the

population is declining and the capital

city is Tbilisi this is what it looks

like

[Music]

to make things worse Georgia has two

regions of the country that are

currently under occupation and those are

apazia and South asadia you see them on

the map Georgia and nearly all the UN

members consider them to be occupied by

Russia next country is Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has a population of 10

million people which is up from 7.2

million in 1991 so the population growth

is pretty good the area is 86 000 square

kilometers it's about the size of Serbia

and the capital city is Baku this is

what it looks like

and finally Uzbekistan the area is 448

000 square kilometers it's about the

size of Sweden Uzbekistan has more

people than that all the other three

countries combined almost 35 million

people and also what's fascinating is

how fast the population is growing in

1991 the population was just 20 million

now it's almost 35 so it nearly doubled

that's impressive and the capital city

is teshkent this is what it looks like

[Music]

okay next thing we can talk about is

their economies let's start with the

zerbaijan it's predominantly an

oil-based economy strategic Partners

turkey and you will see Turkish flags

all over the country their languages are

similar and the locals actually like to

say two states One Nation tourism

potential is great in the country I can

confirm that and but there's not really

much done to promote it they recently

completed a pipeline that bypasses

Russia and goes directly through Georgia

and turkey and to Europe and overall

this country has the least dependency on

trade with Russia just 6.3 percent okay

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan possesses huge oil

reserves minerals Metals as well as

considerable agricultural potential

China is becoming kazakhstan's largest

trading partner soon to overtake Russia

but the major problem is corruption in

2012 the world economic Forum listed

corruption is the biggest problem in

doing business with the country and if

you ask the locals though tell you that

in recent years there were a lot of

questionable billion dollar projects

undertaken like the LRT Line in Astana

on and also Expo 2017 in Astana which

are never going to be profitable they're

never going to be able to pay for

themselves while at the same time if you

look at the map of the country the two

major cities astronaut and almati are

still not connected by a major highway

now let's look at Georgia

since the rose revolution in 2003 which

was under sakash really Administration

Georgia undertook a number of

institutional reforms modernizing the

economy that touched every aspect of the

country's life tourism is doing great

bureaucracy has been minimized and great

tax policies introduced say for a

non-resident the tax rate can be as low

as one percent which is pretty

impressive as long as your income does

not top one hundred and sixty thousand

dollars a year so for YouTuber like me

this could be a very good deal and

finally it Uzbekistan for this country

took the longest to transform from a

soviet-style command economy to a market

economy however since the election of

presidentev the country has seen rapid

economic and social reforms that allowed

the path to foreign investment and I

spent six months in the city of dashkent

and I can I saw it with my own eyes

there's a lot of new construction going

on new restaurants opening up and new

hotels Tuscan International Airport is

becoming a major Hub it already has

direct flights with Dubai Saudi Arabia

Kuala Lumpur Paris and even New York

Uzbekistan has substantial deposits of

gold silver strategic Metals gas and oil

of course Uzbekistan is a major producer

of cotton and luckily the country has

finally succeeded in eradicating

systemic Forest labor and child labor

okay now let's compare the economies as

you can see Kazakhstan has the biggest

economy the nominal GDP is 224 billion

dollars and it also has the highest GDP

per capita which is 11

591 dollars and Uzbekistan has the

lowest

GDP per capita just

3478 which makes this country the

poorest on the list

what about human rights and political

freedoms those are important right so

Freedom House rates countries on a scale

of one to a hundred let's start with the

lowest score and that is Azerbaijan it

only gets nine points out of 100 which

is considered not free Azerbaijan is

clearly not a democracy the situation is

similar to countries like China and

Yemen and since 1993 Azerbaijan only had

two presidents that is Hadar aliv and

now his son the current president ilham

Alief so the two of them were in power

for 30 years

Uzbekistan is not that far ahead with 12

points which is similar to Cuba and

Bahrain since the fall of the USSR

president ilham Karim have held office

for 26 years until he died and now shift

katnir zioev is in his second term

Kazakhstan is doing a little better with

23 points out of 100 which is similar to

Oman and Rwanda president Nur Sultan

azerbayev was in office for 28 years

until he stepped down in 2019 and was

replaced by takayev who's now been in

office for four years it seems like the

population might be a little tired of

authoritative governments and the

January protests of 2022 is a clear

indication of that

what About Georgia well Georgia's doing

much better 58 points out of 100 and

that's similar to Indonesia and

Philippines and it's the only country on

this list to be considered partly free

since 1991 Georgia had nine presidents

and then the current president is Salome

zugabeshwali it's a lady president that

was elected in 2018. I know I was

praising George's achievements in my

videos a lot and for a good reason but

what once was a beacon of democracy in

South caucuses has now backsliding into

something that not a lot of Georgians

are happy about you can't but notice

this dissonance between the public

Georgian opinion and its foreign policy

three quarters of Georgians are

pro-western and only a tiny proportion

of the population is pro-russian like

this oligarch bezina ivanishvili who

they say through his control of the

Georgian Dream party and the government

might be maneuvering the country into

the Russian sphere of influence instead

of be becoming a candidate for EU

membership on the streets of Belize you

will see a lot of graffiti just like

this

let's talk about religion for a second

Georgia is Christian 88

Kazakhstan is 69 Muslim and 17 Christian

Azerbaijan is 96 Muslim but it's the

most secular Muslim country in the world

so the role of Islam in politics and

everyday life is really small and

Uzbekistan in my opinion is the most

religious country on the list 96 Muslim

and some regions of Uzbekistan like

namangan and fergana Valley in general

are very religious it's funny one is big

guy in a conversation told me oh you

worry about democracy too much here

we'll just respect and Obey and not

question anybody who's in charge because

they're godsend

that's way that's one way of looking at

it okay now let me share some of my

personal experiences first I want to

point out how friendly people are

especially the top two are rural areas

of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan you know I

was really surprised how people were

treating me way better than I expected

and you know I was born in the USSR and

since the Soviet days Russia was not

really teaching you to be tolerant and

accepting and understanding of other

people's culture so and I fell into the

Trap of Imperial thinking also when I

was younger but traveling and living

abroad molded me into the person that I

am today

what about safety is safety an issue

well it's not but let's look at the

statistics if you look at intentional

homicide rate which is I think the best

indication of how dangerous a country is

the dangerous the most dangerous turns

out to be Kazakhstan 3.2 cases of

intentional homicide per 100 000 people

is that a lot

well it's similar to Estonia so it's not

too crazy and actually if you compare

that to the US it's twice safer than the

U.S Azerbaijan has a rating of 2.3 which

is even safer George's 1.9 and

Uzbekistan surprisingly is the safest

1.2 cases of intentional homicide per

100 000 people that is similar to

England and Wales and Slovakia and six

times safer than the US good job

Uzbekistan what about the public opinion

in this country as well I've noticed

that men and women over 50 or 60 tend to

be very nostalgic about the USSR times

while the youths are clearly not

Kazakhstan youths consider the Soviet

time as a time of occupation and at the

same time I saw trucks with a picture of

Stalin

in Georgia out of all places so opinions

differ but in all these countries you'll

find museums of Soviet occupation and

repressions

like there's a museum like there's

Museum victims of political repression

in Tashkent there are Glock museums in

Kazakhstan and there is a museum of

Soviet occupation in Tbilisi what's the

biggest challenge for these countries

it's nepotism and Corruption I had to

give bribes on a few occasions to

traffic cops in Azerbaijan and

Uzbekistan these countries run on who

you know principles so like you make

friends with someone and they will

always say hey I have a traffic cop in

this city I know a state official in

that town if you need my help I'm gonna

help you but at the same time they

expect the same kind of favor from you

so it's all about who you know also I

heard multiple stories of traffic cops

in Kazakhstan demanding bribes from

drivers so it's a major problem there as

well actually I have a funny story to

share I was at one of the kazakhstan's

national parks and I wanted to fly my

drone so I asked the locals and they say

I gotta go see that uh National Park

Administration official so I went to his

office and I said hey can I fly my drone

here he said sure but you need to get

that a stamp and for that you need to

drive to a nearby town like two hours

one way two hours back to get that

stupid stamp and I said can we just do

it over facts and he said well not

really and but he was kind of letting me

know that things could be done faster if

only I

well he got zero 10 gifts from me let's

just say that and I flew my drone no

problem and he was saying that oh you

know this park is so close to the

Chinese border so it's a matter of State

security but if I only got that stupid

stamp

you know it would be safe all of a

sudden so it's funny

this was not my experience in Georgia

though if you came across corruption in

Georgia let me know in the comments now

in case you're considering visiting some

of these countries which one do you

start with well

all of them are worth visiting but I

would start with Georgia because it has

so much to offer it has the remote

mountainous regions like svenetti remote

mesmerizing Landscapes and fantastic

Cuisine then there's the Black Sea Coast

and the City of Batumi then there's the

wine region of kaheri and it's just

breathtaking

let's take a look

over there you can visit a number of

Wineries and of course the Cosmopolitan

city of tibilisi has so much to offer so

you can't go wrong

what about Azerbaijan it also has a lot

of majestic mountains it's because it's

next door to Georgia so it's basically

the same mountains and it has a lot of

ski resorts great friendly people

delicious Cuisine the cities of

gubashiki ganja and the City of Baku of

course modern and historic at the same

time some people say the central part of

Baku looks like Paris and it really does

this is where they also have F1 races

it's called Azerbaijan Grand Prix the

locals actually hated they told me

because the city gets shut down for a

couple weeks

if you decide to visit Kazakhstan you

will see different Landscapes the

mountains the lakes and the canyons and

the endless step with horses of course

and camels

if you decide between the two major

cities Astana and almati I would choose

almati because Astana is more of a

business City while Almaty has so much

to offer it has fantastic mountain

resorts and lots of lakes around it

great Landscapes and finally if you

decide to visit Uzbekistan you can just

follow the magical Silk Road cities like

buharah and summer can of course where

you can find yourselves in a 16th

century surrounding and dive deep into

history and apart from that the capital

city of Tashkent is a modern Metropolis

that's developing fast and there are

very modern ski resorts just one hour

away from the city so I recommend that

also

you know I enjoyed my stay in all of

these countries but let's sum things up

Georgia since the days of the USSR has

done a good job at building a democracy

infrastructure and tourism but

unfortunately it's experience in a

population Decline and politically it's

still caught between the west and Russia

Kazakhstan is doing better economically

but if it wasn't for corruption and

nepotism I'm sure it would be doing much

better because you know it has this vast

land is just enormous natural resources

Azerbaijan in my opinion is becoming

similar to some of those oil rich

countries in the Gulf region that are

struggling with democracy and freedom of

speech but at the same time enjoy a

little bit of economic prosperity

Uzbekistan has the fastest growing

population but economically it's the

weakest country on the list and it

pretty much relies on agriculture and

tourism which is in the modern world is

never a good idea I've never seen a

single country that relies solely on

tourism Agriculture and is doing well it

has to be accompanied by some

manufacturing and some high-tech

Industries some say the current reforms

in Uzbekistan are substantial and they

will guarantee a bright future for the

country but some locals have doubts

about it saying they're superficial and

the country will be stuck and it's

current forum for years to come so we

just have to wait and see so guys hope

you enjoyed this video now let me know

which one of these countries you think

has the brightest future if you enjoyed

this video I could be doing more videos

on the X USSR countries and

similar toppings all right leave a

comment hit a like button hit the like

button and I'll see you in my next video

thanks for watching guys