Bureau of National statistics
Agency for Strategic planning and reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan
    Key indicators
    510 797
    As of March 1, 2023, the number of registered legal entities amounted to 510 797 units, including 410744 operating legal entities.
    1 652 564
    The number of registered subjects of individual entrepreneurship amounted to 1652564, including 1550617 operating entities.
    2 097 519
    The number of registered small and medium-sized businesses amounted to 2097519 units, including 1904656 operating ones.
    Registered and operating entities by dimension and activity
    as of March 1, 2023
    Legal entities Subjects of individual entrepreneurship Branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities Subjects of small and medium business
    registered operating registered operating registered operating registered operating
    Total 510 797 410 744 1 652 564 1550617 32200 22130 2097519 1904656
    Small 501 657 401 746 - - 31056 21000 2094527 1901746
    Medium 6 647 6 538 - - 630 620 2992 2 910
    Large 2 493 2 460 - - 514 510 - -
    Dynamics of subjects

    Every year there is an increase in the number of registered legal entities by an average of 5%, so over the past ten years (2012-2022) their number has increased from 317,926 to 507,238 (by 189,312 units or 59.5%). At the same time, it should be noted that the main growth occurs due to small legal entities, their number is steadily increasing every year by an average of 4.9%. Unlike small ones, the dynamics of medium and large legal entities is not stable. Over the past decade, against the background of the annual growth in the number of medium and large legal entities, in 2016, 2017 and 2019 their number was not significant, but decreased (by 1.3%, 1.4% and 3.1%, respectively).

    2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
    Republic of Kazakhstan 317 926 338 981 353 833 360 287 383 850 412 677 433 774 446 687 461 983 481 732 507 238
    Small 309 499 330 435 344 994 351 229 374 912 403 862 424 796 437 988 453 343 472 777 497 995
    Medium 6 095 6 113 6 364 6 572 6 502 6 432 6 490 6 297 6 235 6 494 6 685
    Large 2 332 2 433 2 475 2 486 2 436 2 383 2 488 2 402 2 405 2 461 2 558
    Registered and operating legal entities

    In February 2023, compared to January 2023, there is a slight increase in the number of registered legal entities (by 0.5%), compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, their number increased by 6.0%. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of operating legal entities - by 0.8% and 14.1%, respectively. Since the beginning of the year, by type of economic activity, the largest number of registered legal entities remains in the industry “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles", the share of which as of March 1, 2023. amounted to 27.9%. On the second place - "Construction" (13.4%), on the third - "Provision of other types of services" (9.9%). Together, the share of these three types of activities is 51.2% of all registered legal entities.

    As of March 1, 2023, the largest number of registered legal entities is in the cities of Almaty (142271 or 27.9%) and Astana (95697 or 18.7%), and in the Karaganda region (28530 or 5.6%). The smallest number of registered legal entities falls on Ulytau (2936 and 0.6%), Abay (8113 and 1.6%) and Zhetisu (8002 and 1.6%) regions.

    Registered legal entities by type of activity and activity
    as of March 1, 2023
    Total Of them
    operating including in the process of liquidation
    newly registered active temporarily inactive
    Republic of Kazakhstan 510 797 410 744 59 392 207 416 143 936 5 056
    Agriculture, forestry and fisheries 20 392 17 279 2 076 8 717 6 486 119
    Mining and quarrying industry 5 118 4 304 739 1 511 2 054 57
    Manufacturing industry 25 789 20 403 2 065 10 476 7 862 292
    Supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and air conditioning 1 878 1 558 206 792 560 13
    Water supply; collection, treatment and disposal of waste, activities for the elimination of pollution 2 763 2 198 186 1 152 860 43
    Construction 68 470 52 998 6 686 19 341 26 971 1 276
    Wholesale and retail trade; car and motorcycle repair 142 632 107 269 16 607 50 191 40 471 1 714
    Transport and warehousing 20 643 16 660 2 393 8 408 5 859 232
    Provision of accommodation and food services 9 781 8 090 1 393 4 113 2 584 50
    Information and communication 16 554 14 030 3 053 7 031 3 946 69
    Financial and insurance activities 7 991 5 632 797 2 794 2 041 137
    Operations with real estate 23 649 20 314 3 354 12 202 4 758 201
    Professional, scientific and technical activities 34 121 28 164 3 412 15 419 9 333 224
    Administrative and support services activities 24 456 20 751 2 603 12 055 6 093 148
    Public administration and defense; compulsory social security 9 582 9 301 128 9 047 126 41
    Education 28 496 26 362 1 593 20 376 4 393 136
    Public healthcare and social services 10 223 9 197 870 6 142 2 185 59
    Arts, entertainment and recreation 7 599 6 291 1 014 3 332 1 945 43
    Provision of other types of services 50 659 39 942 10 217 14 316 15 409 202
    Activities of households employing domestic workers; activities of households producing goods and services for their own consumption - - - - - -
    Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies 1 1 - 1 - -
    Registered legal entities by size and form of ownership
    as of March 1, 2023
    Total Including by forms and types of ownership
    state private total of them foreign
    with the participation of the state (without foreign participation) joint ventures (with foreign participation)
    Republic of Kazakhstan 510 797 25 585 440 980 380 11 111 44 232
    Small 501 657 20 860 437 061 299 10 833 43 736
    Medium 6 647 3 581 2 772 34 169 294
    Large 2 493 1 144 1 147 47 109 202
    Registered and operating entities of individual entrepreneurship (IP and IES)

    In February 2023, compared to January 2023, there is a slight increase in the number of registered individual entrepreneurs (by 1.6%), compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, their number increased by 28.9%. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of operating subjects of individual entrepreneurship - by 2.1% and 35.3%, respectively. Since the beginning of the year, by type of economic activity, the largest number of registered individual entrepreneurs remains in the industry “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles”, the share of which as of March 1, 2023 amounted to 36.7%. In second place is “Provision of other types of services” (18.5%), in third place is “Agriculture, forestry and fisheries” (16.1%). Together, the share of these three types of activities is 71.3% of all registered individual entrepreneurs.

    Registered and operating subjects of individual entrepreneurship by type of activity
    as of March 1, 2023
    Total Including those carrying out activities:
    registered operating in the form of personal business in the form of a joint venture
    registered operating registered operating
    The Republic of Kazakhstan 1 652 564 1 550 617 1 580 344 1 479 261 72 220 71 356
    Agriculture, forestry and fisheries 265 639 255 121 193 528 183 851 72 111 71 270
    Mining and quarrying 607 584 607 584 - -
    Manufacturing industry 86 491 81 593 86 481 81 583 10 10
    Supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and air conditioning 554 501 554 501 - -
    Water supply; collection, treatment and disposal of waste, activities for the elimination of pollution 1 859 1 703 1 858 1 702 1 1
    Construction 47 700 44 100 47 699 44 099 1 1
    Wholesale and retail trade; car and motorcycle repair 606 395 573 063 606 378 573 049 17 14
    Transport and warehousing 78 046 71 621 78 037 71 615 9 6
    Provision of accommodation and food services 43 367 39 988 43 363 39 984 4 4
    Information and communication 17 165 15 703 17 165 15 703 - -
    Financial and insurance activities 568 495 568 495 - -
    Operations with real estate 84 343 76 177 84 319 76 157 24 20
    Professional, scientific and technical activities 30 703 28 022 30 702 28 021 1 1
    Administrative and support services activities 35 399 32 859 35 390 32 850 9 9
    Public administration and defense; compulsory social security 120 118 120 118 - -
    Education 24 946 23 385 24 945 23 384 1 1
    Public health and social services 9 757 9 250 9 757 9 250 - -
    Arts, entertainment and recreation 13 686 12 473 13 685 12 472 1 1
    Provision of other types of services 305 219 283 861 305 188 283 843 31 18
    Registered and operating branches and branches of foreign legal entities

    As of March 1, 2023, the number of registered branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities amounted to 32200 units, including 22130 active ones. The largest number of registered branches and affiliates of foreign legal entities is in the cities of Almaty (3837 or 12.0%) and Astana (3754 or 11.7%), and in the Karaganda region (2140 or 6.6%). By types of economic activity, the largest number of registered branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities belong to the sectors “Provision of other types of services” (12944 or 40.2%), “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles” (4697 or 14.6%) and “Construction” (2227 or 7.0%).

    Registered and operating branches by size and form of ownership
    as of March 1, 2023
    Total Including by forms and types of ownership
    state private total of them foreign
    with the participation of the state (without foreign participation) joint ventures (with foreign participation)
    Republic of Kazakhstan 28 160 2 269 24 566 252 729 1 325
    Small 27 063 2 068 23 716 226 682 1 279
    Medium 606 110 470 12 20 26
    Large 491 91 380 14 27 20
    Registered branches of foreign legal entities by size and activity
    as of March 1, 2023
    Total Of them
    operating including in the process of liquidation
    newly registered active temporarily inactive
    Republic of Kazakhstan 4 040 2 414 357 1 023 1 034 86
    Small 3 993 2 369 357 978 1 034 85
    Medium 24 22 - 22 - 1
    Large 23 23 - 23 - -
    Registered and operating legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with foreign and joint ownership

    As of March 1, 2023, the number of registered legal entities, branches and branches subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with a foreign form of ownership increased by 31,7% compared to the corresponding date of the previous years. The number of registered legal entities and branches with joint ownership increased by 2,5%.

    In terms of types of economic activity, the largest share of registered legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with foreign and joint ownership falls on the sectors “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles" – 37.4%, "Provision of other types of services" – 11.6%, "Construction" – 9.9%.

    Registered and operating legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with foreign and joint ownership by country *
    as of March 1, 2023
    Legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities
    with foreign ownership with joint ownership
    registered operating registered operating
    Republic of Kazakhstan 49597 38 736 11 840 8 680
    Russia 19 882 16 902 5 032 3 914
    Türkiye 5 127 3 787 783 493
    China 3 319 1 867 758 489
    Kyrgyzstan 3 023 2 382 687 495
    Uzbekistan 2 953 2 324 402 303
    Ukraine 1 285 1002 381 285
    Azerbaijan 1 195 951 210 148
    Germany 922 740 530 391
    The Republic of Korea Belarus 850 718 602 628 189 185 124 140

    * Top 10 countries by the largest number of registered legal entities, branches and branches of foreign legal entities

    Registered and operating small and medium-sized businesses

    As of March 1, 2023, the number of operating SMEs increased by 31.1% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year. In the total number of SMEs, the share of individual entrepreneurs was 66.6%, legal entities of small business - 18.6%, peasant or farm enterprises – 12.2%, legal entities of medium business - 0.2%.

    In terms of types of economic activity, the largest share of registered small and medium-sized businesses falls on the sectors “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles” – 35.5%; “Provision of other types of services” – 15.9%. "Agriculture, forestry and fisheries" - 14.1%.

    Registered and operating small and medium-sized businesses by regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan
    as of March 1, 2023
    registered operating
    Republic of Kazakhstan 2 097 519 1 904 656
    Abay 56 918 52 144
    Akmola 61 185 56 473
    Aktobe 93 028 85 694
    Almaty 131 785 122 867
    Atyrau 71 309 65 396
    Batys Kazakhstan 60 644 55 488
    Zhambyl 111 205 98 266
    ZhetIsu 61 353 55 844
    Karaganda 106 880 96 316
    Kostanai 66 626 62 870
    Kyzylorda 73 686 69 503
    Mangystau 84 918 78 999
    Pavlodar 59 591 53 117
    Soltustik Kazakhstan 36 923 33 895
    Turkistan 199 393 196 031
    Ulytau 19 432 18 224
    Shygys Kazakhstan 69 814 63 144
    Astana city 239 311 212 402
    Almaty city 364 139 309 947
    Shymkent city 129 379 118 036
    Glossary

    Individual entrepreneurship - an independent, initiative activity of citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, kandas, aimed at obtaining net income, based on the property of individuals themselves and carried out on behalf of individuals, at their risk and under their property responsibility. Individual entrepreneurship is carried out in the form of personal or joint entrepreneurship.

    Personal entrepreneurship - carried out by one individual independently on the basis of property belonging to him by the right of ownership, as well as by virtue of another right that allows the use and (or) disposal of property.

    Joint entrepreneurship - carried out by a group of individuals (individual entrepreneurs) on the basis of property belonging to them on the basis of common ownership, as well as by virtue of another right that allows joint use and (or) disposal of property.

    Categories of business entities - depending on the average annual number of employees and average annual income, business entities are classified into the following categories: "subjects of small" business, including micro-entrepreneurship entities; subjects of medium business; subjects of large business. For the purposes of state statistics, only the criterion of the average annual number of employees is used.

    Principal type of activity - a type of activity, the added value of which exceeds the added value of any other type of activity carried out by an economic entity;

    Secondary type of activity - a type of activity, in addition to the main one, which is carried out with the aim of producing products (goods and services) for third parties.

    Methodological explanations

    All presented indicators are based on the Statistical Business Register, which contains information on legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities, as well as individual entrepreneurs that have been registered or re-registered with the registration authorities.

    The proposed tables show the number of registered and operating legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, as well as small and medium-sized businesses by size, by form of ownership, by region and type of activity.

    The types of activities are presented in accordance with the current General Classifier of Types of Economic Activities (GCTEA). Entities carrying out several types of activities are accounted for by the main type that provides the greatest increase in value added.

    Operating entities in the Statistical Business Register include:

    • entities currently engaged in economic activity, ie. active;
    • newly registered and not yet engaged in economic activity;
    • entities that temporarily suspended their activities.

    In accordance with the "Classifier of the dimension of legal entities, branches and representative offices, as well as individual entrepreneurship entities by the number of employees", 3 classes of entities are provided for in dimension, depending on the average annual number of employees:

    • small (up to 100 people);
    • medium (from 101 to 250 people);
    • large (over 250 people).

    Legal entities with branches are taken into account taking into account the headcount of all its branches.

    Release responsible:
    Department of Statistical Registers and Classifications
    Department Director:
    G. Shukalova
    Tel. +7 7172 749543
    Executor:
    D. Aubakirova
    Tel. +7 7172 7497-94
    E-mail: diya.aubakirova@aspire.gov.kz
    Address:
    010000, Astana
    Mangilik el avenue, 8
    House of Ministries, entrance 4