This data is provided by the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic.
According to the report, in 2024, the number of young readers reached 448 thousand, which is a significant increase compared to 2020, when due to the pandemic this number fell to 353 thousand.
As before, the highest number of young readers is registered in Bishkek: in 2024, the capital's libraries were visited by 135 thousand children, which accounts for almost one third of the total number of readers in this age group in the country.
Among the regions, the leading number of readers is in the Osh region with 75 thousand and the Jalal-Abad region with 55 thousand. The Chui region registered 58 thousand young readers, while the Issyk-Kul region had 25 thousand.
The lowest number of readers under 15 years old was recorded in the Naryn region — about 13 thousand, as well as in the city of Osh — 10 thousand.
With the increase in the number of readers, the number of books issued by libraries has also risen. In 2024, libraries in Kyrgyzstan issued 4.5 million books to children and adolescents. The highest number of books issued came from Bishkek — 1.28 million copies. Significant figures were also recorded in the Osh region (875 thousand) and the Jalal-Abad region (730 thousand).
Experts note that after a sharp decline in the number of readers in 2020, libraries are gradually restoring their attendance, and children's interest in reading is beginning to grow again.
Number of readers under 15 years old and the number of books issued to them
Number of readers and books issued
| Number of readers and books issued under 15 years old | |||||||||||||||||
| 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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