Population in the largest city in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan: Population in the largest city was 15.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
15.7%
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
131st
of 153 countries
All-time high
16.6%
in 2018
All-time low
11.0%
in 1991
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Kazakhstan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in Kazakhstan is 15.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Kazakhstan peaked at 16.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 11.0%, in 1991.
That places Kazakhstan 131st out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Kazakhstan, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 12.5% | — |
| 1961 | 12.4% | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 12.2% | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 12.1% | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 12.0% | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 11.9% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 11.8% | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 11.8% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 11.8% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 11.8% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 11.8% | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 11.8% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 11.8% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 11.9% | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 11.9% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 12.0% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 12.0% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 12.0% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 12.0% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 12.0% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 11.9% | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 11.8% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 11.7% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 11.6% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 11.5% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 11.4% | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 11.2% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 11.1% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 11.0% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 11.0% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 11.0% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 11.0% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 11.4% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 11.7% | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 12.0% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 12.4% | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 12.8% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 13.1% | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 13.4% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 13.6% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 14.1% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 14.4% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 14.6% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 14.8% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 15.0% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 15.2% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 15.3% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 15.6% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 15.8% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 16.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 16.3% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 16.4% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 16.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 16.6% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 16.4% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 16.0% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 15.9% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 15.8% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 15.8% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 15.7% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.9% | 11.8% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.4% | 11.0% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.7% | 11.0% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.4% | 13.4% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.2% | 15.6% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.9% | 15.7% | 16.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kazakhstan
- 128 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 17.0% compare
- 129 Czechia 16.8% compare
- 130 Morocco 16.5% compare
- 132 South Africa 15.6% compare
- 133 Slovakia 15.4% compare
- 134 Syrian Arab Republic 15.2% compare
More urban development data for Kazakhstan
- Population density 7.53 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 19.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1629 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 3.39 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 1.21 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 2.04 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 7.74 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 355.33 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Kazakhstan?
- Population in the largest city in Kazakhstan was 15.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Kazakhstan?
- The highest recorded value was 16.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Kazakhstan?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.0% in 1991.
- How does Kazakhstan rank for population in the largest city?
- Kazakhstan ranks 131st out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Kazakhstan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kazakhstan data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.