Population size and migration

The population of the region as of May 1, 2026 amounted to 1131,1 thousand people, including 934,7 thousand people
(82,6% ) – urban, 196,4 thousand people (17,4%) – rural residents.

The natural increase in the population in January-April 2026 amounted to 715 people (in the corresponding period of the previous year – 862 people).

The number of births as January-April 2026 amounted to 4161 people (5% less than in January-April 2025), the number of deaths amounted to 3446 people (2% less than in January-April 2025).

The balance of migration is negative and amounted to -978 people (in January-April 2025 – -1511 people), including in internal – -1117 people in internal migration (-1581), and – 139 people in external migration (70).

Labor and income

The number of unemployed the I quarter of 2026 amounted to 22,1 thousand people.
The unemployment rate was 4% of the labor force.
The number of persons registered with employment agencies as unemployed as on June 1, 2026 amounted to 12255 people, or 2,7% of the labor force.
In the IV quarter of 2025 the average per capita nominal cash income of the population of the region, according to the estimate, amounted to 268174 tenge, which is 7,5% higher than in IV quarter 2024, the rate of decline of real cash income for the specified period is 5,3%.

Industry statistics

The volume of industrial production in January-May 2026 amounted to 2243,5 million tenge in current prices, which is 5% more than in January-May 2025. In the mining and mine workings industry, production volumes increased by 2,8%, in the manufacturing industry - by 6%, in the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air supply air there was by 5,5%. In water supply, sanitation; waste collection, treatment and disposal, pollution elimination activities decreased by 17,7%.

The volume of gross output of agriculture, forestry and fisheries products (services) in January-May 2026 amounted to
77517,8 million tenge, or 101,7% by January-May 2025.

The volume of cargo turnover in January-May 2026 amounted to 15437,3 million tkm (аccounting for the amount of work performed by individual entrepreneurs engaged in commercial transportation), or 89% compared to January-May 2025.

The volume of passenger traffic – 1477,9 million pkm, or 115,3% by January-May 2025.

The volume of construction works (services) amounted to 159478,8 million tenge, or 101,8% compared to January-May 2025.

In January-May 2026, the total area of commissioned housing increased by 18,1% and amounted to 166,9 thousand square meters, of which the area in multi-apartment residential buildings increased by 26,1% (148 thousand square meters). At the same time, the total area of commissioned individual residential buildings decreased by 21,3% (18,9 thousand square meters).

The volume of investments in fixed capital in January-May 2026 amounted to 282602,4 million tenge, or 82,2% by January-May 2025.

The number of registered legal entities as of June 1, 2026 amounted to 27862 units and decreased by 2,8% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year, including 27316 units with less than 100 employees. The number of operating legal entities amounted to 22810 units, including 22271 units - small businesses. The number of registered small and medium-sized enterprises (legal entities) in the region amounted to 24250 units and decreased by 2,2% compared to the corresponding date in 2025.

Economics

The volume of gross regional product for January-December 2025 amounted to 11043243,9 million tenge at current prices. Compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, real GRP increased by 4,6%. In the structure of GRP, the share of production of goods amounted to 56,2%, services – 41,9%.

The consumer price index in May 2026 compared to December 2025 was 103,6%.

Prices for food products increased by 3,5%, non-food products – by 4,1%, paid services for the population – by 3,4%.

The prices of enterprises producing industrial products in May 2026 compared to December 2025 increased by 6,6%.

The volume of retail trade in January-May 2026 amounted to 664223,2 million tenge, or 2,8% more than the corresponding period in 2025.

The volume of wholesale trade in January-May 2026 amounted to 1069919,7 million tenge, or 100% compared to the corresponding period of 2025.

According to preliminary data, in January-April 2026, mutual trade with the EAEU countries amounted to
906,4 million US dollars and increased by 1,4% compared to January-April 2025, including exports – 521,8 million US dollars (by 1,1% more), imports – 384,6 million US dollars (1,8% more).