Kostanay Region: population, GRP, wages, unemployment, poverty, health, schools and investment
Kostanay Region is a region of Kazakhstan, number 10 of 20 by population. Kostanay Region had 821,473 residents at the end of 2025, 4.0% of the 20,499,822 people of Kazakhstan; it is ranked 10th 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 Kostanay Region: The economy of Kostanay Region produced 4.97 trillion tenge of gross regional product (GRP) in 2024, 3.6% of Kazakhstan's 136.69 trillion tenge; it is ranked 9th highest of 20 regions and cities (current prices).
- Health in Kostanay Region: Life expectancy at birth in Kostanay Region was 74.9 years in 2025 (70.8 for men and 79.2 for women), ranked 9th lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 76.0 years).
- Education in Kostanay Region: In the 2024/25 school year Kostanay Region had 454 general education schools with 115,500 pupils, an average of 254 pupils per school (Kazakhstan: 493).
- Poverty and living standards in Kostanay Region: 3.6% of people in Kostanay Region had incomes below the subsistence level in 2024, ranked 4th lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 5.0%); this is the Bureau of National Statistics poverty measure.
- Government budget and revenue in Kostanay Region: Investment in fixed assets in Kostanay Region funded from budgets was 159.3 billion tenge in 2024: 58.5 billion tenge from the republican (national) budget and 100.8 billion tenge from the local budget; this is 24.9% of all investment in Kostanay Region (Kazakhstan: 21.6%).
Is the population of Kostanay Region growing?
The population of Kostanay Region fell from 835,686 at the end of 2021 to 821,473 at the end of 2025, a change of -1.7% 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 Kostanay Region?
On 1 January 2025, 521,018 people (63.1%) in Kostanay Region lived in urban areas and 304,551 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 Kostanay Region?
At the end of 2025 Kostanay Region had 360 children below working age and 314 people above working age for every 1,000 people of working age (Kazakhstan: 527 and 218); in all, 675 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 Kostanay Region?
The total fertility rate in Kostanay Region was 1.68 children per woman in 2025, ranked 2nd lowest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 2.57; in 2021 it was 1.88 in Kostanay 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 Kostanay Region?
In 2024 there were 11.0 births and 10.1 deaths per 1,000 residents of Kostanay Region, a natural increase of 0.9 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 Kostanay Region?
In 2024 the population of Kostanay Region changed by -4,415 people: natural increase 713 and net migration -5,128 (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 Kostanay Region?
Kostanay Region covers 196,001 square kilometres and had 4.2 people per square kilometre in 2025 (Kazakhstan: 7.5); ranked 5th 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
- 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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