Shymkent: population, GRP, wages, unemployment, poverty, health, schools and investment
Shymkent is a city of republican significance of Kazakhstan, number 5 of 20 by population. Shymkent had 1,294,050 residents at the end of 2025, 6.3% of the 20,499,822 people of Kazakhstan; it is ranked 5th 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 Shymkent: The economy of Shymkent produced 4.74 trillion tenge of gross regional product (GRP) in 2024, 3.5% of Kazakhstan's 136.69 trillion tenge; it is ranked 10th lowest of 20 regions and cities (current prices).
- Health in Shymkent: Life expectancy at birth in Shymkent was 77.8 years in 2025 (75.5 for men and 80.7 for women), ranked 3rd highest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 76.0 years).
- Education in Shymkent: In the 2024/25 school year Shymkent had 296 general education schools with 270,700 pupils, an average of 915 pupils per school (Kazakhstan: 493).
- Poverty and living standards in Shymkent: 5.6% of people in Shymkent had incomes below the subsistence level in 2024, ranked 6th highest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 5.0%); this is the Bureau of National Statistics poverty measure.
- Government budget and revenue in Shymkent: Investment in fixed assets in Shymkent funded from budgets was 206.7 billion tenge in 2024: 85.4 billion tenge from the republican (national) budget and 121.3 billion tenge from the local budget; this is 26.9% of all investment in Shymkent (Kazakhstan: 21.6%).
Is the population of Shymkent growing?
The population of Shymkent grew from 1,162,308 at the end of 2021 to 1,294,050 at the end of 2025, a change of +11.3% 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 Shymkent?
On 1 January 2025, 1,256,164 people (100.0%) in Shymkent lived in urban areas and 0 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 Shymkent?
At the end of 2025 Shymkent had 667 children below working age and 148 people above working age for every 1,000 people of working age (Kazakhstan: 527 and 218); in all, 816 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 Shymkent?
The total fertility rate in Shymkent was 3.02 children per woman in 2025, ranked 7th highest of 20 regions and cities (Kazakhstan: 2.57; in 2021 it was 4.06 in Shymkent).
Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan · saved copyHow many babies are born each year in Shymkent?
In 2024 there were 23.6 births and 4.1 deaths per 1,000 residents of Shymkent, a natural increase of 19.5 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 Shymkent?
In 2024 the population of Shymkent changed by 34,098 people: natural increase 24,111 and net migration 9,987 (more people arrived than left), 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 Shymkent?
Shymkent covers 1,163 square kilometres and had 1,096.4 people per square kilometre in 2025 (Kazakhstan: 7.5); ranked 3rd most 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 city of republican significances 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 city of republican significances of Kazakhstan
- Almaty City 2,348,103
- Turkistan Region 2,149,205
- Astana 1,639,176
- Almaty Region 1,596,532
- 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
- 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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