 By the late 1980s, the economic situation between both Kyrgyz and Uzbek populations had markedly noticeable differences.Uzbeks, who were traditionally the merchants and farmers of the region, benefited from the market conditions of the Gorbachev Era; Uzbeks also made up the largest number of workers in the most profitable industries, such as commerce and transportation.Perestroika had the opposite effect on the much larger Kyrgyz population.