The Human Dimension of Urbanization and Economic Development in Kazakhstan: Demographic Trends
https://doi.org/10.47703/ejebs.v69i4.575
Abstract
Cities are the main centres of economic growth and spatial development in Kazakhstan; therefore, studying their formation and dynamics is of particular relevance. The purpose of the study is to identify regional differences and patterns in urbanisation processes by analysing social, economic, and geographical factors that determine the dynamics of urban growth. The methodological framework includes comparative, statistical, and GIS analysis, as well as correlation and regression methods, aimed at studying the interrelationships among urbanisation levels, demographic changes, infrastructure development, and the quality of education. The empirical database is based on official data from the Bureau of National Statistics, the UNFPA, and the World Bank for 2014-2024. The results showed that the share of the urban population in Kazakhstan increased from 54% in 2014 to 60% in 2024, with the most significant increases observed in Almaty (+200 thousand) and Astana (+150 thousand). Large agglomerations concentrate economic activity and human capital, while small, single-industry cities face depopulation and a lack of infrastructure. A stable relationship has been established between the level of socio-economic development of the region and the quality of education: the integral indicators of educational achievement are 76-78% in Astana, 73-75% in Almaty and 68-70% in Shymkent. The practical significance of the results is determined by their applicability in shaping regional policies, spatial planning strategies, and sustainable urban development programs.
Keywords
Urbanisation,
Urban Economy,
Human Capital,
Demography,
Economic Geography,
Business Environment,
Economic Growth
Supporting agencies: This research has been funded by the Science Committee MSHE RK (grant “Reducing socio-economic inequality in the regions of Kazakhstan through investment in and improvement of the organization of the healthcare system” No. AP26198345).
About the Authors
Adilet KongyrbaiElai Erbolat
Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
PhD candidate, Geography Teacher, Email: erbolatelai@mail.ru
Dinara Kalybekova
University of International Business named after K. Sagadiyev, Almaty
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
PhD, Email: kaldiba77@mail.ru
References
1. Acemoglu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2018). The Race between Man and Machine: Implications of Technology for Growth, Factor Shares, and Employment. American Economic Review, 108(6), 1488–1542. https://doi.org/10.1257/AER.20160696
2. Adnan, S. (2016). Expulsions: brutality and complexity in the global economy. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 43, 1095 - 1100. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2016.1236453
3. Alibašić, H. (2022). Envisaging the future of strategic resilience and sustainability planning. In Strategic Resilience and Sustainability Planning: Management Strategies for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Communities and Organizations (pp. 131-139). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.08.022
4. Batty, M. (2018). Digital twins. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 45(5), 817-820. https://doi.org/10.1177/2399808318796416
5. Bekbossinova, A., & Niyazbekov, A. (2024). The impact of urbanization on air quality in largest cities of Kazakhstan. Eurasian Journal of Economic and Business Studies, 68(3), 66–81. https://doi.org/10.47703/ejebs.v68i3.419
6. Bolysbek, M., Byulegenova, B., & Toremuratov, O. (2024). The formation of urbanization and agglomeration impact on local government. Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Political Science. Regional Studies. Oriental Studies. Turkology Series, 149(4), 83-99. https://doi.org/10.32523/2616-6887-2024-149-4-115-131
7. Bureau of National Statistics. (2024). Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Retrieved September 30, 2025 from https://stat.gov.kz
8. Caragliu, A., Del Bo, C.F., & Nijkamp, P. (2011). Smart Cities in Europe. Journal of Urban Technology, 18, 65 - 82. https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2011.601117
9. Florida, R. (2014). The rise of the creative class, revisited. New York, NY: Basic Books.
10. Fujita, M., Krugman, P., & Venables, A. J. (1999). The spatial economy: Cities, regions, and international trade. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/6389.001.0001
11. Gao, J., Meng, Q., Hu, D., Zhang, L., Hu, X., & Qian, J. (2023). A uniform methodology of local cooling and warming effects for different urban site types: multi-perspective assessment based on four northern Chinese cities. Sustainable Cities and Society, 96, 104652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.104652
12. Goodman, J.C. (2011). Edward Glaeser, Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier. Business Economics, 46, 185-186. https://doi.org/10.1057/be.2011.16
13. Henderson, J. V. (2002). Urbanization in developing countries. World Bank Research Observer, 17(1), 89 112. https://doi.org/10.1093/wbro/17.1.89
14. Kabdesov, K. (2020). Urbanization Trends and Processes in Kazakhstan. Eurasian Journal of Economic and Business Studies, 55(1), 37–49. https://doi.org/10.47703/ejebs.v1i55.11
15. Kenzhegulova, G., Vasa, L., & Bekturganova, M. (2024). The analysis of urbanization drivers in Kazakhstan: A regional assessment from 2010–2022. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(8), 6157. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i8.6157
16. Kireyeva, A. A. (2025). Higher education and national development: Insights from Kazakhstan’s transition economy. Eurasian Journal of Economic and Business Studies, 69(2), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.47703/ejebs.v69i2.488
17. Krugman, P. (1991). Increasing returns and economic geography. Journal of Political Economy, 99(3), 483–499. https://doi.org/10.1086/261763
18. Lucas, R. E. (1988). On the mechanics of economic development. Journal of Monetary Economics, 22(1), 3-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3932(88)90168-7
19. Muratova, R., Baigojaeva, D., & Petrova M.L. (2023). Socio economic aspects and risks of urbanization in Kazakhstan. Business Management, 33(3), 53 71. https://doi.org/10.58861/tae.bm.2023.3.04
20. OECD (2014), OECD Reviews of Innovation Policy: Colombia 2014, OECD Reviews of Innovation Policy, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264204638-en.
21. Romer, P. M. (1990). Endogenous technological change. Journal of Political Economy, 98(5), S71–S102. https://doi.org/10.1086/261725
22. Sassen, S. (2001). The global city: New York, London, Tokyo (2nd ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
23. Thisse, J. F. (2018). Human capital and agglomeration economies in urban development. The Developing Economies, 56(2), 117-139. https://doi.org/10.1111/deve.12167
24. Turok, I., & McGranahan, G. (2019). Urbanization and economic growth: The arguments and evidence for Africa and Asia. Environment and Urbanization, 25(2), 465–482. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956247813490908
25. Unerbayeva, R., Kozhirova, S., Kenzhegulova, G., Mukatay, A., & Abdykadyr, T. (2025). The role of education, human capital, and quality of life in regional development: Evidence from Kazakhstan. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 23(3), 256. https://doi.org/10.52123/1994-2370-2025-1533
26. UN Habitat. (2022). World Cities Report 2022: Envisaging the future of cities. Nairobi: United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Nairobi: UN-Habitat. Retrieved September 30, 2025 from https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2022/06/wcr_2022.pdf
27. World Bank. (2020). World Development Report 2020: Trading for development in the age of global value chains. Washington, DC: World Bank. Retrieved September 30, 2025 from https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2020
28. Yan, W. J., & Liu, S. T. (2023). Built equality and sustainable urban cultural space: A case study of Quanzhou, China. Buildings, 13(9), 2337. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13092337
Review
For citations:
Kongyrbai A., Erbolat E., Kalybekova D. The Human Dimension of Urbanization and Economic Development in Kazakhstan: Demographic Trends. Eurasian Journal of Economic and Business Studies. 2025;69(4):46-60. https://doi.org/10.47703/ejebs.v69i4.575
Views:
89
JATS XML
Email this article 