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Demographics of Kazakhstan

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Demographics of Kazakhstan
Summary

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FieldValue
placeKazakhstan
imageKazakhstan Population Pyramid.svg
image_size350
captionPopulation pyramid of Kazakhstan in 2023
size_of_population20,445,231 (1 October 2025)
density
growth8.6/1,000 population (2024 est.)
birth17.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
death8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
life73.3 years (2024 est.)
life_male69 years
life_female77.9 years
fertility2.8 children born/woman (2024 est.)
infant_mortality8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
net_migration−0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
age_0-14_years29.5% (male 3,001,983/female 2,833,471)
age_15-64_years62.0% (male 6,028,354/female 6,224,431)
age_65_years8.5% (male 617,364/female 1,061,204) (2023 Est.)
total_mf_ratio0.95 male(s)/female
sr_at_birth1.06 male(s)/female
sr_under_151.05 male(s)/female
sr_15-64_years0.95 male(s)/female
sr_65_years_over0.54 male(s)/female
nationKazakh(s) or Kazakhstani(s)
major_ethnicKazakh (71.3%)
minor_ethnic{{unbulleted list
officialKazakh
spokenLanguages of Kazakhstan

| age_0-14_years = 29.5% (male 3,001,983/female 2,833,471) | age_15-64_years = 62.0% (male 6,028,354/female 6,224,431) | sr_15-64_years = 0.95 male(s)/female |

  • Russian (14.6%)
  • Uzbek (3.3%)
  • Ukrainian (1.8%)
  • Uyghur (1.5%)
  • German (1.1%)
  • Tatar (1.1%)
  • Others (5.3%)

The demographics of Kazakhstan enumerate the demographic features of the population of Kazakhstan, including population growth, population density, ethnicity, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population. Some use the word Kazakh to refer to the Kazakh ethnic group and language (autochthonous to Kazakhstan as well as parts of China and Mongolia) and Kazakhstani to refer to Kazakhstan and its citizens regardless of ethnicity, but it is common to use Kazakh in both senses. It is expected that by 2050, the population will range from 23.5 to 27.7 million people.

Overview

Official estimates put the population of Kazakhstan at 20,182,003 as of August 2024, of which 62.7% is urban and 37.3% is rural population. In a report released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in September 2021, the level of urbanization in Kazakhstan is estimated to reach 69.1% by 2050.

The proportion of men makes up 48.85% and the proportion of women is 51.15%.

Ethnic Kazakhs make up 71%, Russians 14.9%, Uzbeks 3.3%, Ukrainians 1.9%, Uygur 1.5%, Germans 1.1%, Tatars 1.1%, and others 5.2%.

The first census in Kazakhstan was conducted under Russian Imperial rule in 1897, which estimated population at round 4 million people. Following censuses showed a growth until 1939, where numbers showed a decrease to 6,081 thousand relative to the previous census done 13 years earlier, due to famines of 1922 and 1933.

Main article: Kazakh famine of 1919–1922, Kazakh famine of 1930–1933

But since 1939 population has steadily increased to 16.5 million in 1989, according to corresponding year census. Official estimates indicate that the population continued to increase after 1989, peaking out at 17 million in 1993 and then declining to 15 million in the 1999 census. The downward trend continued through 2002, when the estimated population bottomed out at 14.9 million, and then resumed its growth. Significant numbers of Russians returned to Russia. Kazakhstan underwent significant urbanization during the first 50 years of the Soviet era, as the share of the rural population declined from more than 90% in the 1920s to less than 50% since the 1970s. The fertility rate declined to amongst the lower rates in the world in 1999 and increased to again amongst the higher rates in the world in 2021.

Population size and structure

Population of Kazakhstan 1897–2024

YearPopulation (thousands)Urban, %Rural, %Source
18974,000census
19266,198census
19396,081census
19599,295census
197013,001census
197914,685census
198916,537census
199914,953census
200915,982census
202119,186census
202420,182estimate

:Data sources: Population 1897 from Russian Empire Census. Population 1926 from First All-Union Census of the Soviet Union. Population 1939–1999 from demoscope.ru, Rural/urban shares 1939–1993 from statistical yearbooks, print editions, 2002–2008 from Kazakhstan Statistical Agency web site.

As of 2003, there were discrepancies between Western sources regarding the population of Kazakhstan. United States government sources, including the CIA World Factbook and the US Census Bureau International Data Base, listed the population as 15,340,533, while the World Bank gave a 2002 estimate of 14,858,948. This discrepancy was presumably due to difficulties in measurement caused by the large migratory population in Kazakhstan, emigration, and low population density – only about 5.5 persons per km2 in an area the size of Western Europe.

Structure of the population

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
Total9 223 5899 777 39919 000 988100
0223 552209 539433 0902.28
1–4818 257766 7881 585 0458.34
5–9982 270927 1081 909 37710.05
10–14857 617811 6961 669 3138.76
15–19643 879610 9431 254 8216.60
20–24568 174544 6341 112 8085.86
25–29699 428680 0331 379 4617.26
30–34793 785815 7811 609 5668.47
35–39690 052709 5801 399 6317.37
40–44586 612615 2371 201 8496.33
45–49525 164576 3471 101 5105.80
50–54475 079532 0771 007 1565.30
55–59449 996534 713984 7095.18
60–64375 734486 204861 9384.54
65–69241 436361 664603 0993.17
70–74149 026263 406412 4322.17
75–7960 581122 881183 4620.97
80–8457 026141 863198 8891.05
85–8917 02947 32064 3480.34
90–945 91515 74721 6620.11
95–991 9803 0134 9930.03
100+1 0028311 8320.01
0–142 881 6962 715 1295 596 82529.46
15–645 807 8986 105 54811 913 44662.70
65+533 995956 7221 490 7177.84

Structure of the population (01.01.2021) (Estimates):

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total9 160 3999 719 15318 879 552100
0–152 980 2972 809 2365 789 53330.7
16–62(59)5 524 1375 485 23511 009 37258.3
63(60)+655 9651 424 6822 080 64711.0

The age group under 15 is considered below the working age, while the age group over 63(60) is above the working age (63 years for men, 60 for women).

Vital statistics

Births and deaths

Notable events in Kazakh demographics:

  • 1991 – Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Average populationLive births1Deaths1Natural change1Crude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Crude migration change (per 1000)Fertility ratesLife expectancy
19506,703,000254,16979,005175,16437.911.826.1
19516,946,000272,35480,553191,80139.211.627.68.7
19527,133,000265,23585,241179,99437.212.025.21.7
19537,271,000262,75873,930188,82836.110.226.0-6.7
19547,528,000278,42076,092202,32837.010.126.98.4
19557,992,000299,85473,283226,57137.59.228.333.3
19568,426,000305,43064,807240,62336.37.728.625.7
19578,722,000326,76668,050258,71637.57.829.75.4
19589,077,000336,02062,680273,34037.06.930.110.6
19599,516,000349,79469,602280,19236.87.329.419.0
19609,996,000372,59565,667306,92837.26.630.719.7
196110,480,000377,78968,610309,17936.16.529.518.9
196210,958,000369,00270,952298,05033.76.527.218.4
196311,321,000346,08467,218278,86630.65.924.68.5
196411,610,000324,41266,197258,21527.95.722.23.3
196511,909,000314,53369,803244,73026.45.920.65.2
196612,185,000307,90569,402238,50325.35.719.63.6
196712,456,000301,71571,824229,89124.25.818.53.7
196812,694,000296,88273,496223,38623.45.817.61.5
196912,901,000297,12978,660218,46923.06.116.9-0.6
197013,106,000301,45177,619223,83223.05.917.1-1.2
197113,321,000317,42379,881237,54223.86.017.8-1.4
197213,534,000318,55185,122233,42923.56.317.2-1.2
197313,742,000321,07590,282230,79323.46.616.8-1.4
197413,955,000338,29193,582244,70924.26.717.5-2.0
197514,136,000343,668101,865241,80324.37.217.1-4.1
197614,279,000350,362103,892246,47024.57.317.3-7.2
197714,425,000349,379105,376244,00324.27.316.9-6.7
197814,589,000355,337107,293248,04424.47.417.0-5.6
197914,743,000354,320113,687240,63324.07.716.3-5.7
198014,884,000356,013119,078236,93523.98.015.9-6.3
198115,033,000367,950120,974246,97624.58.016.4-6.4
198215,185,000373,416120,165253,25124.67.916.7-6.6
198315,334,000378,577123,807254,77024.78.116.6-6.8
198415,481,000399,403129,796269,60725.88.417.4-7.83.04
198515,623,000396,929126,786270,14325.48.117.3-8.13.02
198615,776,000410,846119,149291,69726.07.618.5-8.73.13
198715,948,000417,139122,835294,30426.27.718.5-7.63.19
198816,188,000407,116126,898280,21825.37.917.4-2.43.13
198916,243,000382,269126,378255,89123.57.815.8-12.42.81
199016,328,000362,081128,576233,50522.27.914.3-9.12.72
199116,405,000353,174134,324218,85021.58.213.3-8.62.67
199216,439,000337,612137,518200,09420.58.412.2-10.12.62
199316,381,000315,482156,070159,41219.39.59.7-13.22.54
199416,146,000305,624160,339145,28518.99.99.0-23.32.43
199515,816,000276,125168,656107,46917.510.76.8-27.22.21
199615,578,000253,175166,02887,14716.310.75.6-20.62.02
199715,334,000232,356160,13872,21815.210.44.7-20.41.93
199815,072,000222,380154,31468,06614.810.24.5-21.61.81
199914,939,000217,578147,41670,16214.69.94.7-13.51.80
200014,883,626222,054149,77872,27614.910.14.9-8.61.88
200114,858,335221,487147,87673,61114.99.95.0-6.71.84
200214,858,948227,171149,38177,79015.310.15.2-5.21.88
200314,909,018247,946155,27792,66916.610.46.2-2.82.03
200415,012,985273,028152,250120,77818.210.18.1-1.12.21
200515,147,029278,977157,121121,85618.410.48.10.82.22
200615,308,084301,756157,210144,54619.710.39.41.22.36
200715,484,192321,963158,297163,66620.810.210.60.92.47
200815,674,000357,555152,878204,67722.89.813.0-0.72.68
200916,092,822356,261142,883213,37822.18.913.313.42.55
201016,321,872367,707146,027221,68022.59.013.60.62.59
201116,557,201372,690144,323228,36722.58.713.80.62.59
201216,792,089381,153143,411237,74222.78.514.202.62
201317,035,550387,256136,368250,88822.78.014.7-0.22.64
201417,288,285399,309132,287267,02223.17.715.5-0.72.73
201517,542,806398,458130,811267,64722.77.515.3-0.62.74
201617,794,055400,694131,231269,46322.57.415.2-0.92.77
201718,037,775390,262129,009261,25321.67.214.5-0.82.75
201818,276,452397,799130,448267,35121.87.114.6-1.42.84
201918,513,673402,310133,128269,18221.77.214.5-1.52.90
202018,755,665426,824161,333265,49122.88.614.2-1.13.13
202119,000,987446,491182,403264,08823.59.613.9-0.83.32
202219,634,983403,893133,523270,37020.66.813.819.63.05
202319,900,325388,428130,686257,74219.56.613.00.52.96
202420,159,963365,923132,900233,07818.26.611.60.92.83

1 Births and deaths until 1979 are estimates.

Current vital statistics

PeriodLive birthsDeathsNatural increaseJanuary–November 2024January–November 2025DifferenceSource:
338,612121,479+217,133
302,108120,409+181,699
–36,504 (-10.78%)–1,070 (-0.88%)–35,434

Crude birth rates and total fertility rates by region in 2024

Total Fertility Rate of Kazakhstan by region (2021)
RegionCBRTFRRepublic of KazakhstanAbaiAqmolaAqtöbeAlmatyAtyrauBatys QazaqstanJambylJetısuQarağandyQostanaiQyzylordaMañğystauPavlodarSoltüstık QazaqstanTürkıstanŪlytauŞyğys QazaqstanAstana cityAlmaty cityŞymkent city
18.152.80
15.612.96
12.722.12
19.002.95
20.333.38
21.253.26
15.972.61
19.783.32
17.543.13
13.552.17
10.961.80
21.923.68
24.293.70
12.062.04
9.661.71
24.884.25
18.593.12
11.662.13
19.282.26
15.201.85
23.583.23

Thus it can be seen that fertility rate is higher in more traditionalist and religious south and west, and lower in the north and east, where the percentage of Slavic and German population is still relatively high.

According to the Kazakhstan Demographic and Health Survey in 1999, the TFR for Kazakhs was 2.5 and that for Russians was 1.38. TFR in 1989 for Kazakhs & Russians were 3.58 and 2.24 respectively.

YearKazakh
womenRussian
womenUkrainian
womenUzbek
women
19893.582.24
19953.111.69
19992.501.38
20002.121.181.602.90
20012.111.171.592.92
20022.141.211.602.88
20032.301.301.713.10
20042.521.361.763.39
20052.541.351.733.32
20062.731.381.803.43

Life expectancy at birth

[[Life expectancy]] in Kazakhstan since 1868
Life expectancy in Kazakhstan since 1960 by gender
PeriodLife expectancy in
YearsPeriodLife expectancy in
Years
1950–195555.11985–199067.5
1955–196057.31990–199565.5
1960–196559.51995–200063.0
1965–197061.72000–200564.6
1970–197563.32005–201066.0
1975–198064.32010–201569.1
1980–198565.9

Source: UN World Population Prospects

Migration

YearArrivalsDeparturesNet migration
201516,58130,047-13,466
201613,75534,900-21,145
201715,59537,725-22,130
201812,74741,868-29,121
201912,25545,225-32,970
202011,37029,088-17,718
202111,03932,256-21,217
202217,42524,147-6,722
202325,38716,0949,293
202429,28212,73216,550

Ethnic groups

Main article: Ethnic groups in Kazakhstan

The share of Kazakhs in Kazakhstan by districts at the beginning of 2022
The share Russians by districts and cities of regional and republican subordination Kazakhstan in 2021
Kazakhstan demographics 1897–1970. Major ethnic groups. Famines marked in grey.

Kazakhstan's dominant ethnic group, the Kazakhs, traces its origins to the 15th century, when after the disintegration of Golden Horde, numbers of Turkic and Turco-Mongol tribes united to establish the Kazakh Khanate. With a cohesive culture and national identity, they constituted an absolute majority on the land until colonization by the Russian empire.

Russian advances into the territory of Kazakhstan began in the late 18th century, when the Kazakhs nominally accepted Russian rule in exchange for protection against repeated attacks by the western Mongolian Kalmyks. In the 1890s, Russian peasants began to settle on the fertile lands of northern Kazakhstan, causing many Kazakhs to move eastwards into Chinese territory in search of new grazing grounds. The 1906 completion of the Trans-Aral Railway between Orenburg and Tashkent further facilitated Russian colonization.

The first collective farms were formed in Kazakhstan in 1921, populated primarily by Russians and Soviet deportees. In 1930, as part of the first Five Year Plan, the Soviet Government decreed measures of force sedentarization of nomads and their incorporation into collectivized farms. This movement resulted in devastating famines of the 1920s and of the 1930s, claiming the lives of an estimated 40% of ethnic Kazakhs (1.5 million), between 1930 and 1933. Hundreds of thousands also fled to China, Iran and Afghanistan. The famine made Kazakhs a minority of the population of Kazakhstan, and only after the republic gained independence in 1991 did Kazakhs have a slim demographic majority within Kazakhstan.

Demographics did shift in the 1950s and 1960s, when, as part of Nikita Khrushchev's Virgin Lands Campaign, hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens relocated to the Kazakh steppes in order to farm. As recognized in the 1959 census, the Kazaks became the second-largest ethnic group in Kazakhstan for the first time in recorded history, comprising just 30% of the total population of Kazakhstan. Russians numbered 42.7%.

Since the Soviet Union's collapse, the numbers of members of European ethnic groups has been falling and Asian groups have been continuously rising. According to 2024 estimates, the ethnic composition of Kazakhstan was approximately: 71% Kazakh, 14.9% Russian, 3.3% Uzbek, 1.9% Ukrainian, 1.5% Uyghur, 1.1% Tatar, 1.1% German, and

Religion

Main article: Religion in Kazakhstan

References

Bibliography

  • .

References

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