Kazakhstan's top regions where women are making significant contributions.
In the heart of Central Asia, Kazakhstan's women population is making strides, reflecting a growing, urbanised, and youthful demographic with significant potential for economic engagement.
As of mid-2025, Kazakhstan's total population stands at approximately 20.37 million, with women numbering around 10.42 million, slightly surpassing men (9.96 million). The population is predominantly urban, with around 12.88 million people living in urban areas, while rural residents total about 7.49 million. Given the overall gender balance, a significant portion of women reside in urban centres, indicative of Kazakhstan's trend towards urbanization.
Major urban centres with large female populations include Almaty city (1.34 million total population), Astana city (839,718), and Shymkent city (652,297). Other regions such as East Kazakhstan, Abay, Zhetisu, and Ulytau have smaller populations, with women distributed proportionally.
Kazakhstan boasts a youthful demographic, with nearly one-third of the total population under 15 years old, pointing towards a high potential for future workforce growth. Among working-age respondents (18-65), women's age distribution was identified as: 41.6% aged 18-35, 33.1% aged 36-45, 19.1% aged 46-59, and 6.2% aged 60-65. This youthful profile combined with increasing life expectancy highlights ongoing demographic transitions towards a larger, healthier, and potentially more productive female population.
Employment rates among women aged 18-65 stand at about 68.7% overall, with similar participation (68.3%) among younger women (18-35). Women are active in various sectors but also bear a disproportionate share of household and childcare responsibilities. For example, women spend over twice as much time on domestic duties compared to men, especially notable on weekends. Education levels among women are diverse, with about 36.5% holding higher education, 30.7% secondary education, and 32.7% vocational education, shaping their workforce capabilities and sectoral participation.
In conclusion, Kazakhstan's demographic profile of women reflects a growing, urbanised, and youthful population with significant potential for economic engagement, albeit balanced against traditional domestic labour roles. Investments in education, employment opportunities, and policies addressing gender disparities in domestic work are critical to fully realise this potential. The National Bureau of Statistics has published updated information on the number of women in Kazakhstan, revealing a population that is equivalent to 10.4 million people, with the majority residing in urban areas. The total number of women between 18 and 60 in Kazakhstan is 5.3 million, while the total number of women over 60 stands at 1.7 million.
Notable regional trends include the growth in the number of women in Almaty, which experienced the highest increase over the past decade at 82.1%, and the Mangystau region, which saw a growth of 32.5%. Almaty currently has a population of 1.2 million women, while the number of women in the Turkestan region stands at 1 million. The average age of Kazakhstan's female population is 34.1 years. Over the past decade, the number of women in Kazakhstan has increased by 15.2%, with women making up 51.1% of Kazakhstan's total population. The population of women in Nur-Sultan is 803,000, while the rest of the women in Kazakhstan reside in rural areas. The total number of women under 18 in Kazakhstan is 3.3 million.
Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
[1] National Bureau of Statistics (2025). Kazakhstan Population Statistics. Retrieved from [2] National Bureau of Statistics (2021). Women's Population in Kazakhstan. Retrieved from [3] National Bureau of Statistics (2020). Kazakhstan Demographic Trends. Retrieved from [4] World Health Organization (2021). Life Expectancy in Kazakhstan. Retrieved from [5] Gender Equality in Kazakhstan: Time Use Survey (2019). Retrieved from
In the urban areas of Kazakhstan, women's population significantly contributes to the health-and-wellness sector, given their engagement in various sectors coupled with a high concentration in cities. As the National Bureau of Statistics has revealed, the number of women in health-and-wellness fields, particularly womens-health, is an escalating trend, reflecting the growing demographic of urban, health-conscious women in Kazakhstan.
