ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates People’s Unity Day on May 1 with more than 20.5 million citizens living side by side in peace and harmony under a shared shanyrak (the sacred crown of the yurt, symbolizing home and unity). The country stands as a vivid example of unity in diversity, where friendship between nations is not just words, but a lived reality.
As of the beginning of the year, Kazakhstan’s population reached 20,532,240 people. The largest ethnic group remains Kazakhs, with over 14.6 million people. Russians follow with nearly 2.9 million, while Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Uyghurs, Germans, and Tatars each contribute significantly to the country’s multicultural identity.
Smaller but equally important communities include Azerbaijanis, Koreans, Turks, Dungans, Belarusians, Tajiks, Kurds, and Kyrgyz. The Turkistan Region is home to the largest Kazakh population, exceeding 1.6 million people. Almaty hosts the largest Russian and Uyghur populations in the country.
Meanwhile, Uzbeks are predominantly concentrated in Turkistan, and Ukrainians in Kostanai, according to the Bureau of National Statistics. Strengthening mutual understanding and friendship among people remains an important priority in Kazakhstan.