ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s population reached 20.62 million as of Sept. 1, while Astana surpassed 1.7 million residents, according to the Bureau of National Statistics.
The capital’s population increased by 9,780 people in August alone and has grown by 61,209 people since the start of the year. Kazakhstan’s total population stood at 20,618,796 people as of Sept. 1, up from 20,499,822 at the beginning of 2026.
Almaty remains the country’s most populous city, with 2,387,896 residents. The population of the city increased by more than 8,000 people in August.
The Turkistan Region ranks second among the country’s most populous regions, with 2,142,709 residents. Unlike Almaty, however, its population declined by more than 2,000 people over the month.
Several other regions and cities also have populations exceeding one million. The Almaty Region had 1,615,631 residents as of Sept. 1, while Shymkent recorded 1,316,888. The Zhambyl Region had 1,210,084 residents and the Karagandy Region 1,130,123.
The country’s least populated region is the Ulytau Region, with 217,274 residents. The North Kazakhstan Region had 510,756 people, while the Abai Region recorded 590,702.
