Osh Region Leads in the Number of Young Readers Under 15: Is Children's Interest in Reading Growing?

Наталья Маркова • 06.03.2026, 21:24 • Local news / Exclusive

In Kyrgyzstan, there is a positive trend in the increase of library readers among children and adolescents under the age of 15.

These data were provided by the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic.

According to the statistical agency, in 2024, young readers numbered 448 thousand, which significantly exceeds the level of 2020, when due to the pandemic this figure fell to 353 thousand.

As before, the highest number of readers is recorded in Bishkek. In the capital, in 2024, libraries were visited by 135 thousand children, which accounts for almost a third of the total number of readers in this age group across the country.

Among the regions of the country, the highest figures were recorded in the Osh region — 75 thousand and the Jalal-Abad region — 55 thousand. In the Chui region, the number of young readers reached 58 thousand, while in the Issyk-Kul region it was 25 thousand.

The lowest number of readers under 15 years old was registered in the Naryn region — about 13 thousand, as well as in the city of Osh, where this figure was 10 thousand.

With the increase in the number of readers, the number of books issued has also risen. In 2024, libraries in Kyrgyzstan provided children and adolescents with 4.5 million copies of books. The most active were the libraries of Bishkek, which issued 1.28 million books, as well as the Osh region with 875 thousand and the Jalal-Abad region with 730 thousand copies.

Experts note that after a sharp decline in interest in reading in 2020, libraries are gradually restoring their attendance, and children's interest in books is growing again.

Number of readers under 15 years old and

books issued to them

Number of readers under 15 years old and books issued to them
	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Number of readers, thousand people
Kyrgyz Republic	390	390	379	390	404	388	395	407	426	423	423	353	406	452	458	448
Batken region	25	24	24	25	25	25	26	27	26	26	26	12	18	20	23	19
Jalal-Abad region	63	61	62	63	65	65	66	67	69	72	72	43	56	59	58	55
Issyk-Kul region	28	28	26	28	30	30	31	31	32	31	31	17	21	25	26	25
Naryn region	14	14	13	14	13	13	15	16	17	16	16	10	14	15	13	13
Osh region	63	63	61	63	63	63	64	63	67	67	68	62	73	76	79	75
Talas region	19	19	18	19	20	20	21	21	23	23	23	19	22	25	24	23
Chui region	57	60	59	59	62	58	59	60	65	61	62	49	52	58	58	58
City of Bishkek	107	104	101	105	111	102	105	113	123	122	120	82	111	134	140	135
City of Osh	14	17	15	14	15	14	8	9	10	9	9	7	9	10	11	10
Number of books issued, thousand copies
Kyrgyz Republic	4792	4540	4674	4719	4693	4647	4583	4903	4827	4781	4816	3351	4662	4936	5115	4497
Batken region	263	248	258	258	256	252	259	264	267	260	260	122	188	198	203	191
Jalal-Abad region	794	749	779	791	788	792	793	793	788	819	820	574	770	793	783	730
Issyk-Kul region	357	335	344	348	354	354	351	351	346	336	340	212	281	296	302	289
Naryn region	175	164	168	170	170	170	169	179	175	167	169	110	150	154	151	143
Osh region	804	742	773	793	781	791	781	802	786	793	798	694	888	893	968	875
Talas region	233	220	227	227	225	225	223	231	229	234	233	198	253	265	242	229
Chui region	620	592	606	616	606	603	594	644	631	643	652	489	591	619	631	595
City of Bishkek	1392	1331	1363	1365	1396	1355	1364	1503	1455	1374	1391	818	1271	1422	1505	1285
City of Osh	154	159	156	151	121	104	49	136	150	155	153	134	270	296	330	260

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