ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s population grew by over 1.4 million people from 2019 to 2023, reaching 20,033,842 by the end of 2023, Economy.kz reported in an analytical article on Nov. 7.
Photo credit: lifeinsurance.kz
This significant increase resulted from complex demographic processes influenced by internal factors and external challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The population saw increases in both men and women. The latter maintained a numerical advantage. By 2023, there were 9.7 million men and 10.2 million women.
Birth rates peaked at 445,875 in 2021, possibly because of improvements in the economic and social spheres, before declining to 388,428 in 2023, potentially due to economic uncertainty and shifting family priorities. Mortality increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 132,621 in 2019 to 181,216 in 2021, before stabilizing at 130,686 in 2023.
The natural population growth slowed from 269,248 in 2019 to 257,742 in 2023. The growth rate per thousand people dropped from 14.54 to 12.95, showing a gradual loss in growth momentum.
The pandemic hugely impacted life expectancy, rising to 75.10 years by 2023 after recovering from a 2021 low of 70.38 years. However, there remains a significant gap between men, with an average of 70.99 years and women, with 79.06 years, likely due to lifestyle and healthcare differences.
Population density varied from region to region. Astana registered 1,794.4 people per square kilometer in 2023, the Turkistan Region – 18.5, and the Ulytau Region – just 1.2. These differences affect resource and infrastructure allocation.
Migration processes also played an important role in population changes. The migration balance in 2023 was 9,293 people, indicating a slight positive balance.
