Abstract
A comprehensive assessment of social sustainability in the North Kazakhstan Region of KazakhstanWith increasing territorial disparities in Kazakhstan, there is a growing need for a systematic assessment of social sustainability at the subregional level.This study develops and pilots an integrated social sustainability index for the districts of the North Kazakhstan Region based on fifteen indicators grouped into five key components: demography, healthcare, education, quality of life, and social integration.The methodology includes data normalization, indicator aggregation, and spatial analysis using GIS tools.The analysis reveals a stable yet markedly asymmetric territorial structure of social sustainability: although the regional centre (Petropavl) has relatively high values across most components, the majority of rural districts show persistent signs of demographic de-cline, social vulnerability, and insufficient access to basic services and infrastructure.A sensitivity analysis confirms the model's applicability under conditions of incomplete statistical reporting.Based on the results, a typology of districts is developed, and directions for territorially oriented social policy are proposed.The proposed methodology can be applied for interregional monitoring, social risk assessment, and justification of sustainable development priorities in regions with transitional demographic structures.