Population of Kazakhstan

As of May 2026, the population of Kazakhstan is 20.2 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 219 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.11%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 28.8 years in 2016 to 29.5 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 72.4 years and population density is 7.5 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Kazakhstan peaked in 1959, reaching around 3.47% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1.08% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 361.45 thousand in 1988 to nearly 219.27 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In Kazakhstan, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 65.6 years in 2006 to 72.4 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 7 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is Almaty, with approximately 2 million inhabitants. It is followed by Shymkent with 1.2 million and Aktobe with 500.8 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in Kazakhstan: