Abai Region: population, GRP, wages, unemployment, poverty, health, schools and investment
Abai Region is a region of Kazakhstan, number 18 of 20 by population. Abai Region had 595,720 residents at the end of 2025, 2.9% of the 20,499,822 people of Kazakhstan; it is ranked 3rd smallest of 20 regions and cities (the 17 regions and 3 cities of republican significance are ranked together).
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Abai Region: The economy of Abai Region produced 3.25 trillion tenge of gross regional product (GRP) in 2024, 2.4% of Kazakhstan's 136.69 trillion tenge; it is ranked 6th lowest of 20 regions and cities (current prices).
- Health in Abai Region: Life expectancy at birth in Abai Region was 74.9 years in 2025 (70.8 for men and 79.2 for women), ranked 5th lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 76.0 years).
- Education in Abai Region: In the 2024/25 school year Abai Region had 320 general education schools with 102,500 pupils, an average of 320 pupils per school (Kazakhstan: 493).
- Poverty and living standards in Abai Region: 7.3% of people in Abai Region had incomes below the subsistence level in 2024, ranked joint 3rd highest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 5.0%); this is the Bureau of National Statistics poverty measure.
- Government budget and revenue in Abai Region: Investment in fixed assets in Abai Region funded from budgets was 141.4 billion tenge in 2024: 72.5 billion tenge from the republican (national) budget and 68.9 billion tenge from the local budget; this is 25.3% of all investment in Abai Region (Kazakhstan: 21.6%).
Is the population of Abai Region growing?
The population of Abai Region fell from 611,888 at the end of 2021 to 595,720 at the end of 2025, a change of -2.6% in four years (Kazakhstan: +5.1%).
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyHow many people live in rural areas of Abai Region?
On 1 January 2025, 374,229 people (62.1%) in Abai Region lived in urban areas and 228,603 in rural areas; across Kazakhstan 63.0% of people are urban.
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyWhat is the age structure of Abai Region?
At the end of 2025 Abai Region had 476 children below working age and 289 people above working age for every 1,000 people of working age (Kazakhstan: 527 and 218); in all, 764 dependants per 1,000 workers.
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyWhat is the birth rate in Abai Region?
The total fertility rate in Abai Region was 2.66 children per woman in 2025, ranked 10th lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 2.57; in 2021 it was 2.94 in Abai Region).
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyHow many babies are born each year in Abai Region?
In 2024 there were 15.6 births and 8.9 deaths per 1,000 residents of Abai Region, a natural increase of 6.7 per 1,000 (Kazakhstan: 18.1 births, 6.6 deaths).
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyAre people moving to Abai Region?
In 2024 the population of Abai Region changed by -4,757 people: natural increase 4,031 and net migration -8,788 (more people left than arrived), based on registered births, deaths and migration.
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyHow big is Abai Region?
Abai Region covers 185,477 square kilometres and had 3.2 people per square kilometre in 2025 (Kazakhstan: 7.5); ranked joint 2nd least densely populated of 20 regions and cities (the three cities are small areas and rank highest).
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyHow regions are governed in Kazakhstan
Regions (oblys, 17) and cities of republican significance (Astana, Almaty, Shymkent). Akim appointed by the President, who must propose at least two candidates for a vote of consent by the maslikhat deputies (2026 Constitution); maslikhat directly elected for five years. Regional budgets, development programmes, health, education and infrastructure.
Every tier of government in Kazakhstan
Other regions of Kazakhstan
- Almaty City 2,348,103
- Turkistan Region 2,149,205
- Astana 1,639,176
- Almaty Region 1,596,532
- Shymkent 1,294,050
- Zhambyl Region 1,215,656
- Karaganda Region 1,131,353
- Aktobe Region 955,970
- Kyzylorda Region 846,312
- Kostanay Region 821,473
- Mangystau Region 819,824
- Akmola Region 789,608
- Pavlodar Region 745,243
- East Kazakhstan Region 718,995
- Atyrau Region 716,071
- West Kazakhstan Region 695,649
- Jetisu Region 687,701
- North Kazakhstan Region 514,132
- Ulytau Region 219,049
Up a level: Kazakhstan · government and power in Kazakhstan · cities
Sources
- Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan: Demographic Yearbook of Kazakhstan 2021-2025 (English edition), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c2ca14ffe74f…)
- Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan: Education in the Republic of Kazakhstan 2019-2023: statistical compilation (English edition), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5341ced12209…)
- Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan: The regions of Kazakhstan in 2024: Statistical Yearbook (English edition, 414 pages), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3456cb173460…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.