Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In the end of the first quarter of this year, mortgage loans totaling 3.52 trillion soums were issued in Uzbekistan, which is 8% more than in the same period of last year, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan said.

According to the regulator, in the reporting period, the number of mortgage loan recipients decreased to 14.5 thousand people. Moreover, more than half of all loans (1.9 trillion soums) were allocated within the framework of the new order.

The balance of mortgage loans amounted to 60.2 trillion soums, having increased by about 2 trillion soums since the beginning of the year.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan allocated funds in the amount of 2.17 trillion soums, which amounted to 34.2% of the total amount. Commercial banks provided mortgage loans in the amount of 964.4 billion soums. The mortgage refinancing company issued a loan in the amount of 380.3 billion soums.

Tashkent remains the leader in issuing mortgage loans with a volume of 957.8 billion soums, which is 6.1% less than the previous year.

Samarkand region ranks second with an increase in loan issuance by 44.2% to 342.5 billion soums.

Ferghana (275.7 billion soums, +19.8%), Navoi (239.2 billion soums, -1.3%) and Tashkent regions (218.8 billion soums, -25.3%) entered the top 5 regions by volume of allocated loans.

About 65% of the total volume of all loans (2.24 trillion soums) was allocated in the primary market. 1.28 trillion soums were allocated for the purchase of housing on the secondary market (35% of the total volume of all loans).

According to the Central Bank, more than 9.62 thousand borrowers are men (66%). The majority of loans (70%) were provided to citizens aged 31 to 50 years, 21% to young people under 30 years of age and 9% to people over 50 years of age.