Population size and migration

The population of the region as of March 1, 2024 amounted to 726.6 thousand people, including 484 thousand people (66.6%) – urban, and 242.6 thousand people (33.4%) – rural residents.

The natural decline in the population in January- February 2024 amounted to -3 people (in the corresponding period of the previous year, the natural increase in the population amounted to 83 people).

The number of births as January-February 2024 amounted to 1457 people (2% more than in January-February 2023), the number of deaths amounted to 1460 people (8.5% more than in January-February 2023).

The balance of migration is negative and amounted to -470 people (in January-February 2023 – -255 people), including in external migration – a negative balance of -18 people (29), in internal – negative -452 people and (-284).

Labor and income

The number of unemployed in the IV quarter of 2023 amounted to 17,7 thousand people.

The unemployment rate was 4,6% of the labour force. The number of persons registered with employment agencies as unemployed as of April 1, 2024 amounted to 8527 people, or 2,2% of the labour force.

The average monthly nominal wages accrued to employees (excluding small enterprises engaged in entrepreneurial activities) in the IV quarter of 2023 amounted to 373984 tenge, an increase compared to the IV quarter of 2022 amounted to 15,5%.

The real wage index in IV quarter 2023 was 104,5%.

In the IV quarter of 2023 the average per capita nominal cash income of the population of the region, according to the estimate, amounted to 218530 tenge, which is 18,5% higher than in IV quarter 2022, the growth rate of real cash income for the specified period is 107,2%.

Industry statistics

The volume of industrial production in January-March 2024 amounted to 650411.9 million tenge in current prices, which is 8.7% more than in January-March 2023.

In the mining industry, production volumes increased by 17.2%, in the manufacturing industry - by 6.5%, in the supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and conditioned air there was by 11.4%, in water supply, collection, processing and waste disposal, pollution elimination activities - by 5%.

The volume of gross output of agricultural products (services) in January-March 2024 amounted to 50687.9 million tenge, or 101.7% by January-March 2023.

The volume of cargo turnover in January-March 2024 amounted to 1641.7 million tkm (taking into account the assessment of the volume of cargo turnover of individual entrepreneurs engaged in commercial transportation), or 86.6% compared to January-March 2023.

The volume of passenger traffic – 408.5 million pkm, or 89.4% by January-March 2023.

The volume of construction works (services) amounted to 40302.4 million tenge, or 114.2% compared to January-March 2023.

In January-March 2024, the total area of housing put into operation increased by 3.4% and amounted to 65.3 thousand square meters. At the same time, the total area of individual residential buildings put into operation increased by 14.9% (19.2 thousand square meters).

The volume of investments in fixed capital in January-March 2024 amounted to 106244.4 million tenge, or 89.3% by January-March 2023.

The number of registered legal entities as of April 1, 2024 amounted to 14961 units and increased by 0.6% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year, including 14605 units with less than 100 employees. The number of operating legal entities amounted to 11614 units, including 11260 units - small businesses. The number of registered small and medium enterprises (legal entities) in the region amounted to 12205 units and increased by 0.2% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year.

Economics

The short-term economic indicator for January-March 2024 compared to January-March 2023 amounted to 107,7%.  The calculation of the short-term economic indicator is carried out to ensure efficiency and is based on changes in output indices for basic sectors: agriculture, industry, construction, trade, transport and communications, accounting for over 60% of GDP.

The volume of gross regional product for January-September 2023 amounted to 3123022,1 million tenge at current prices. Compared to the corresponding period of January- September 2022, real GRP increased by 3,6%. In the structure of GRP, the share of production of goods amounted to 50,2%, services – 41,5%.

The consumer price index in March 2024 compared to December 2023 was 103,2%.

Prices for food products increased by 2,3%, non-food products – by 2,3%, paid services for the population – by 5,7%.

The prices of enterprises producing industrial products in March 2024 compared to December 2023 decreased by 0,2%.

The volume of retail trade in January-March 2024 amounted to 241596,9 million tenge, or 2,1% more than the corresponding period in 2023.

The volume of wholesale trade in January-March 2024 amounted to 158318,3 million tenge, or 97,9% compared to the corresponding period in 2023.

According to preliminary data, in January-February 2024, mutual trade with the EAEU countries amounted to 185,6 million US dollars and decreased by 33,7% compared to January-February 2023, including exports – 78,0 million US dollars (by 5,5% less), imports – 107,5 million US dollars (45,5% less).