Demographics
Aktobe ranks first in terms of population in Western Kazakhstan and is the fourth most populous city in the country (after Almaty, Astana and Shymkent). Aktobe rose in October 2019 from fifth to fourth place in terms of the number of inhabitants when the population of the city reached 497,381 inhabitants, overtaking Karaganda (496,701 people) in this indicator. By the end of 2019, the population of the city crossed 500,000 people and as of January 1, 2020, numbered 500,803 people. The population density in the territory of the city administration (2,338 km2) is 214.2 people per km2.
There are several reasons for changes of this position. First, the statistical authorities began to take into account 59,000 residents of rural districts near Aktobe, disbanded in 2018 and included in the city. Secondly, the natural population growth in Aktobe for nine months of 2019 numbered 6,807 people, while in Karaganda during the same period the natural increase reached 2,712 people. Thirdly, during the same period in Aktobe there was a migration increase numbering 2,580 people, while in Karaganda there was a migration decrease numbering 3,741 people.
Aktobe is one of the fastest-growing cities in Kazakhstan – in 2003–2013 the population increased by 50%. For comparison, the population of the cities of Turkestan, Zhanaozen and Kaskelen, which showed the most impressive growth rates, grew by 78% over the indicated period. An increase in the birth rate and a decrease in the number of child deaths contribute to the city's population.
The main sources of urban population growth are natural growth and migration. So (data for the territory subordinated to the city administration) for the period from January 1, 2011, to October 1, 2015, the natural population growth numbered 36,158 people, and the positive balance of migration growth numbered 3,798 people, but the latter figure hides the multi-directional migration flows.
Migration outside the CIS (mainly ethnic Germans, as well as Russians traveling to Germany as members of mixed families) is insignificant, its balance was 76 people, while migration outflow to Germany numbered 103 people, migration exchange with other countries outside the CIS was weakly positive.
Migration within the CIS had a slight positive balance (371 people), but this is the result of the mutual compensation of two significant migration flows: the outflow of Russians (migration balance - 1,221 people, mainly to Russia) and the influx of ethnic Kazakhs (migration balance of 1,173 people), mainly from the countries of Central Asia).
Migration exchange with other regions of Kazakhstan had a negative migration balance of 5,437 people, mainly it was an outflow of ethnic Kazakhs (balance −5,073 people).
Intraregional migrations forming a migratory influx of the population of 9,685 people is the result of the mutual compensation of two significant migration flows: the outflow of Russians (migration balance - 1,221 people, mainly to Russia) and the influx of ethnic Kazakhs (migration balance of 1,173 people), mainly from the countries of Central Asia).
Migration exchange with other regions of Kazakhstan had a negative migration balance of 5,437 people, mainly it was an outflow of ethnic Kazakhs (balance −5,073 people).
Intraregional migrations formed a migratory influx of the population of 9,685 people.
Ethnic groups (2021):
Kazakh: 81.39%
Russian: 13.2%
Ukrainian: 1.88%
Tatar: 1.23%
Others: 2.29%
