Population size and migration

The population of the region as of March 1, 2025 amounted to 696 thousand people, including 399,1 thousand people (57,3%) - urban, 296,9 thousand people (42,7%) - rural residents.

The natural increase in the population in January-February 2025 amounted to 676 people (in the corresponding period of the previous year - 940 people).

For January-February 2025 the number of births was 1543 people (20,8% less than in January-February 2024), the number of deaths was 867 people (14% less than in January-February 2024).   

The balance of migration is negative and amounted to – -655 people (in January-February 2024 – -453 people), including in external migration - a negative balance of – -8 people (+88), in internal - negative – - 647 people and (-541).

Labor and income

The number of unemployed in the IV quarter of 2024 amounted to 17 thousand people.

The unemployment rate was 4,8% of the labor force.

The number of persons registered with employment agencies as unemployed as of April 1, 2025 amounted
to 16340 people, or 4,6% of the labor force.

The average monthly nominal wages accrued to employees (excluding small enterprises engaged in entrepreneurial activities) in the IV quarter of 2024 amounted to 361140 tenge, an increase compared to the IV quarter of 2023 amounted to 6,9%.

The real wage index in IV quarter 2024 was 98,1%.

In the IV quarter of 2024 the average per capita nominal cash income of the population of the region, according to the estimate, amounted to 203290 tenge, which is 11,7% higher than in IV quarter 2023, the growth rate of real cash income for the specified period is 2,5%.

Industry statistics

The volume of industrial production in January-March 2025 amounted to 1030637,6 million tenge in current prices, which is 4,3% more than in January-March 2024.

In the mining industry, production volumes increased by 2,6%, in the manufacturing industry by 31,6%, in water supply, collection, processing and waste disposal, pollution elimination activities by 9,1%. In the supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and air-conditioned air, the decrease in production was 33,1%.

The volume of gross output (services) of agricultural, forestry and fisheries in January-March 2025 amounted to 29732,5 million tenge, or 102,2% by January-March 2024.

The volume of cargo turnover in January-March 2025 amounted to 2924,3 million tkm (taking into account the assessment of the volume of cargo turnover of individual entrepreneurs engaged in commercial transportation), or 111,6% compared to January-March 2024.

The volume of passenger traffic – 1016,3 million pkm, or 114,2% by January-March 2024.

The volume of construction works (services) amounted to 40290,2 million tenge, or 120,3% compared to January-March 2024.

In January-March 2025, the total area of housing put into operation increased by 8,8% and amounted
to 88,1 thousand square meters, of which in individual residential buildings increased by 32,6% (41,6 thousand square meters), in multi-apartment buildings decreased by 6,2% (46,5 thousand square meters).

The volume of investments in fixed capital in January-March 2025 amounted to 104799,3 million tenge, or 97,4% by January-March 2024.

The number of registered legal entities as of April 1, 2025 amounted to 12380 units and decreased by 0,8% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year, including 12028 units with fewer than 100 employees. The number of operating legal entities amounted to 10285 units, including 9933 units - small businesses. The number of registered small and medium enterprises (legal entities) in the region amounted to 12286 units and decreased by 0,9% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year.

Economics

The volume of gross regional product for January-September 2024 year amounted to 3351046,7 million tenge at current prices. Compared to the corresponding period of January-September 2023 year, real GRP increased by 1,9%. In the structure of GRP, the share of production of goods amounted to 57,7%, services - 33,3%.

The consumer price index in March 2025 compared to December 2024 was 104%.

Prices for food products increased by 2,8%, non-food products - by 2,9%, paid services for the population - by 7,2%. The prices of enterprises producing industrial products in March 2025 compared to December 2024 increased by 1,5%.

The volume of retail trade in January-March 2025 amounted to 134137,1 million tenge, or 1,1% more than the corresponding period in 2024.

The volume of wholesale trade in January-March 2025 amounted to 117346,4 million tenge, or 104,9% compared to the corresponding period in 2024.

According to preliminary data, in January-February 2025 mutual trade with the EAEU countries amounted to 113,3 million US dollars and decreased by 0,6% compared to January-February 2024, including exports – 16,1 million US dollars (by 36,1% less), imports 97,2 million US dollars (0,2% more).