Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine ethnic variations in population fertility in the 1950–1960s, formed in the context of socio-economic development of Kazakhstan. The 1959, 1970, 1989 population censuses, and sta-tistical almanacks “National Economy of Kazakhstan” became the source base of this research. The theory of modernization, interpreted as the transition from traditional to modern society and reflecting the details of ethni-cally differentiated process of demographic development of Kazakhstan in the mid-20th century provided the methodological basis of the research. Ethnic differentiation within the settlement system and socio-economic ac-tivities that developed in Kazakhstan in the 1950–1960s led to ethnically distinct birth rates among Kazakhs and Russians. The demographic potential acquired by Kazakhs in the middle of the 20th century became the demo-graphic basis of sovereign Kazakhstan.