World Population Day is marked around the globe on July 11. The United Nations established the date in 1989 to draw attention to population issues and their impact on sustainable development.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly emphasized that the country's greatest wealth is its people. That is why strengthening the institution of the family, developing human capital, and pursuing an effective demographic policy remain among the state's key priorities.
Demographic trends largely determine the country's future human capital, how many schools, kindergartens, and hospitals will be needed, and how the labor market, pension system, and regions will develop. This makes demographic policy one of the most important areas of long-term government planning.
According to the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the country's population stood at 20,575,979 as of June 1, 2026, having grown by 76,157 people since the start of the year.
Young people remain one of the largest socio-demographic groups: Kazakhstan is home to 5.8 million citizens aged 14 to 35, or 28% of the population.
The birth rate remains one of the main drivers of population growth. In 2025, 335,000 children were born in Kazakhstan — 51.5% boys and 48.5% girls. The crude birth rate stood at 16.43 per 1,000 people, while the total fertility rate reached 2.57 children per woman. This is significantly higher than the OECD average (1.46) and above the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman required for a natural generational change.
The highest total fertility rates were recorded in Turkestan region (3.86), Kyzylorda region (3.43), and Mangystau region (3.32).
The majority of children (61.2%) were born in cities, with 38.8% born in rural areas. Women aged 25–29 (27%) and 30–34 (26.1%) showed the highest levels of reproductive activity.
Projected life expectancy at birth reached 75.97 years by the end of 2025 — 79.80 years for women and 72.19 years for men.
At the direction of the Head of State, Kazakhstan has been consistently building a modern demographic forecasting system. The National Commission has become one of the key platforms bringing together the scientific and expert community to develop long-term solutions in this field.
At the National Commission's initiative, international conferences on demographic sustainability were held in 2022–2023; with the support of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the demographic agenda was discussed for the first time in a dedicated Government Hour session; and a Consortium of research organizations on family, gender, and demographic policy was established, bringing together 15 scientific and expert organizations.
This work led to a natural next step: in his Address to the Nation in September 2025, President Tokayev instructed the establishment of a Demographic Forecasting Center under the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms.
The Center is already preparing a National Report on the Assessment of the Demographic Situation, to be published by the end of 2026, and is developing a methodology for a regional Demographic Sustainability Index along with modern tools for analyzing demographic processes.
The creation of a demographic forecasting system marks a shift toward a new stage of government policy grounded in scientific analysis, data, and long-term planning. This will make it possible to factor demographic changes into government decision-making in a timely manner, strengthen the institution of the family, create new opportunities for young people, and ensure the sustainable development of Kazakhstan.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly emphasized that the country's greatest wealth is its people. That is why strengthening the institution of the family, developing human capital, and pursuing an effective demographic policy remain among the state's key priorities.
Demographic trends largely determine the country's future human capital, how many schools, kindergartens, and hospitals will be needed, and how the labor market, pension system, and regions will develop. This makes demographic policy one of the most important areas of long-term government planning.
According to the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the country's population stood at 20,575,979 as of June 1, 2026, having grown by 76,157 people since the start of the year.
Young people remain one of the largest socio-demographic groups: Kazakhstan is home to 5.8 million citizens aged 14 to 35, or 28% of the population.
The birth rate remains one of the main drivers of population growth. In 2025, 335,000 children were born in Kazakhstan — 51.5% boys and 48.5% girls. The crude birth rate stood at 16.43 per 1,000 people, while the total fertility rate reached 2.57 children per woman. This is significantly higher than the OECD average (1.46) and above the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman required for a natural generational change.
The highest total fertility rates were recorded in Turkestan region (3.86), Kyzylorda region (3.43), and Mangystau region (3.32).
The majority of children (61.2%) were born in cities, with 38.8% born in rural areas. Women aged 25–29 (27%) and 30–34 (26.1%) showed the highest levels of reproductive activity.
Projected life expectancy at birth reached 75.97 years by the end of 2025 — 79.80 years for women and 72.19 years for men.
At the direction of the Head of State, Kazakhstan has been consistently building a modern demographic forecasting system. The National Commission has become one of the key platforms bringing together the scientific and expert community to develop long-term solutions in this field.
At the National Commission's initiative, international conferences on demographic sustainability were held in 2022–2023; with the support of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the demographic agenda was discussed for the first time in a dedicated Government Hour session; and a Consortium of research organizations on family, gender, and demographic policy was established, bringing together 15 scientific and expert organizations.
This work led to a natural next step: in his Address to the Nation in September 2025, President Tokayev instructed the establishment of a Demographic Forecasting Center under the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms.
The Center is already preparing a National Report on the Assessment of the Demographic Situation, to be published by the end of 2026, and is developing a methodology for a regional Demographic Sustainability Index along with modern tools for analyzing demographic processes.
The creation of a demographic forecasting system marks a shift toward a new stage of government policy grounded in scientific analysis, data, and long-term planning. This will make it possible to factor demographic changes into government decision-making in a timely manner, strengthen the institution of the family, create new opportunities for young people, and ensure the sustainable development of Kazakhstan.