Karaganda Region: population, GRP, wages, unemployment, poverty, health, schools and investment
Karaganda Region is a region of Kazakhstan, number 7 of 20 by population. Karaganda Region had 1,131,353 residents at the end of 2025, 5.5% of the 20,499,822 people of Kazakhstan; it is ranked 7th largest of 20 regions and cities (the 17 regions and 3 cities of republican significance are ranked together).
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Karaganda Region: The economy of Karaganda Region produced 9.06 trillion tenge of gross regional product (GRP) in 2024, 6.6% of Kazakhstan's 136.69 trillion tenge; it is ranked 4th highest of 20 regions and cities (current prices).
- Health in Karaganda Region: Life expectancy at birth in Karaganda Region was 74.5 years in 2025 (70.3 for men and 78.6 for women), ranked 4th lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 76.0 years).
- Education in Karaganda Region: In the 2024/25 school year Karaganda Region had 428 general education schools with 176,000 pupils, an average of 411 pupils per school (Kazakhstan: 493).
- Poverty and living standards in Karaganda Region: 2.8% of people in Karaganda Region had incomes below the subsistence level in 2024, ranked 2nd lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 5.0%); this is the Bureau of National Statistics poverty measure.
- Government budget and revenue in Karaganda Region: Investment in fixed assets in Karaganda Region funded from budgets was 173.3 billion tenge in 2024: 59.0 billion tenge from the republican (national) budget and 114.3 billion tenge from the local budget; this is 11.9% of all investment in Karaganda Region (Kazakhstan: 21.6%).
Is the population of Karaganda Region growing?
The population of Karaganda Region fell from 1,134,966 at the end of 2021 to 1,131,353 at the end of 2025, a change of -0.3% 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 Karaganda Region?
On 1 January 2025, 929,709 people (82.0%) in Karaganda Region lived in urban areas and 204,224 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 Karaganda Region?
At the end of 2025 Karaganda Region had 414 children below working age and 285 people above working age for every 1,000 people of working age (Kazakhstan: 527 and 218); in all, 699 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 Karaganda Region?
The total fertility rate in Karaganda Region was 2.00 children per woman in 2025, ranked 7th lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 2.57; in 2021 it was 2.40 in Karaganda 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 Karaganda Region?
In 2024 there were 13.6 births and 9.4 deaths per 1,000 residents of Karaganda Region, a natural increase of 4.2 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 Karaganda Region?
In 2024 the population of Karaganda Region changed by -1,418 people: natural increase 4,763 and net migration -6,181 (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 Karaganda Region?
Karaganda Region covers 239,046 square kilometres and had 4.7 people per square kilometre in 2025 (Kazakhstan: 7.5); ranked 7th 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
- 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
- Abai Region 595,720
- North Kazakhstan Region 514,132
- Ulytau Region 219,049
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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…)
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