Abstract
The article discusses the dynamics of changes in the population of Kazakhstan in the 2000s, whenthe demography in the country has relatively stabilized. It is shown that during the study period therewas a general increase in the population of the country, which was fully recovered from the demographiclosses of the 90s of the XX century. Regarding the number of regions, it was found that most ofthem belong to the group with a growing population. These are southern and western regions. A smallpopulation growth in the Karaganda, East Kazakhstan, Akmola and Pavlodar regions by 2018 changed todecline. And the North Kazakhstan region continues to show a negative trend of decreasing population.In the article particular attention is paid to the study on the basis of statistical data of the processesof urbanization and the dynamics of changes in the urban population. It should be noted that the countryis among the states with a moderate level of urbanization. The smallest and most urbanized areasof the Republic of Kazakhstan are distinguished. Today, the population of three cities – Almaty, Astanaand Shymkent, which recently acquired the republican status, makes up more than a third of all urbanresidents of Kazakhstan. Only during 2010-2017 the number of urban residents in Astana increased by1.6 times, in Shymkent – by 1.5 times and in Almaty – by 1.3 times. At the same time, the populationof Shymkent as of June 1, 2018 exceeded one million, amounting to 1,002,291 people. In total, today the population of three megacities of Kazakhstan reaches 3,834,861 people or 36.8% of the total urbanpopulation in the country.