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Kazakhstan Population and religion percentage
Kazakhstan, officially known as the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country primarily situated in Central Asia, with a smaller portion located west of the Ural River in Eastern Europe. It is the largest landlocked country in the world, the ninth-largest overall, and has one of the lowest population densities globally. According to the National Statistics Bureau, Kazakhstan’s population stood at 20,286,084 ( 20 million) as of January 1, 2025.
Kazakhstan location on Map
| Kazakhstan | 2025 Population |
| Total Population | 20,286,084 |
| Global Rank | 65 |
| Land Area | 2,699,700 sq. km (1,042,400 sq. mi) |
| Area Rank | 9th |
| Pop. Density | 7.5 people/sq. km |
| Capital City | Nur-Sultan |
| Fertility Rate* | 2.95 |
| Infant mortality rate ** | 6.7 |
| Median Age | 29.7 years |
| Life Expectancy | 74.53 years |
| Urban Population | 57.7% |
Religion in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s Constitution declares it as a secular State. Islam is the majority religion and is followed by 69% of the population. Non-denominational Muslims form the majority, while others indicate that most Muslims in the country are Sunnis following the Hanafi school. These include ethnic Kazakhs, who constitute about 70% of the population, as well as ethnic Uzbeks, Uighurs, and Tatars.
Christianity in Kazakhstan is the second most practiced religion after Islam. about 17.2% of the population is Russian Orthodox, including ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians. Other Christian groups include Roman Catholics, Greek Catholics, and Protestants.
Other religious groups include Judaism, the Baháʼí Faith, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
Religion percentage in Kazakhstan
| Religion/ Unaffiliated | Percent % |
| Islam | 69.3% |
| Christianity | 17.2% |
| Other religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.) | 1% |
| Unaffiliated/ No Religion | 13% |
Source: 2021 Census
Ethnic Composition
According to the 2021 census, about 70.4% of the population in the country are ethnic Kazakhs, while ethnic Russians make up around 15.5%. Other minority groups include Tatars (1.1%), Ukrainians (2.0%), Uzbeks (3.2%), Germans (1.2%), Uyghurs (1.5%), Azerbaijanis, Dungans, Turks, Koreans, Poles, and Lithuanians.
Ethnic Percentage
- Kazakh – 70.7%
- Russian – 15.2%
- Uzbek – 3.3%
- Ukrainian – 1.9%
- Uyghur – 1.5%
- German – 1.1%
- Tatar – 1.1%
- Others – 5.2%
Source: Census 2021
Kazakhstan Population by provinces
The Turkestan region is the most densely populated with 2,154,334 people, while Almaty, Zhambyl, and Karaganda regions also have over 1 million residents each.
| Rank | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkistan | 2,154,334 |
| 2 | Almaty Region | 1,560,377 |
| 3 | Zhambyl | 1,222,513 |
| 4 | Karagandy | 1,133,984 |
| 5 | Akmola | 787,778 |
| 6 | Shygys Kazakhstan | 723,980 |
| 7 | Batys Kazakhstan | 696,058 |
| 8 | Zhetisu | 694,400 |
| 9 | Abay | 602,882 |
| 10 | Soltustik Kazakhstan | 522,167 |
| Total | Republic of Kazakhstan | 20,286,084 |
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Largest Cities in Kazakhstan by Population
Almaty remains the most populous city with 2,292,333 residents, followed by the capital Astana (1,528,887), and Shymkent (1,256,263). The Turkestan region is the most densely populated with 2,154,334 people, while Almaty, Zhambyl, and Karaganda regions also have over 1 million residents each. Overall, 12.77 million people live in urban areas, and 7.51 million reside in rural regions.
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almaty | 2,292,333 |
| 2 | Astana | 1,528,887 |
| 3 | Shymkent | 1,256,263 |
| 4 | Aktobe | 949,601 |
| 5 | Kyzylorda | 846,336 |
| 6 | Kostanay | 825,597 |
| 7 | Mangystau | 805,363 |
| 8 | Pavlodar | 751,038 |
| 9 | Atyrau | 710,876 |
| 10 | Ulytau | 221,317 |