North Kazakhstan region The population of the region as of February 1, 2026 amounted to 513,6 thousand people, including 258 thousand people (50,2%) – urban, 255,6 thousand people (49,8%) – rural residents. It borders with three regions of Russia and three regions of Kazakhstan:
Petropavlovsk is the administrative center of the region.
Geography
North Kazakhstan region is located in the northern part of Kazakhstan and southern part of the West Siberian Plain and a part of the Kazakh Hummocks. The relief consists of many lakes, steppe catholes, slight low ridges, etc. The height is about 115-120 meters in the worth-east and up to 200 meters in the south and south-east.
The region is located in the same latitude with Kaluga, Tula, Tambov regions of Russia. However, it differs in climate and natural conditions due to farness from seas and oceans and is characterized with extreme continental climate.
Climate
The climate is extremely continental. The winter is long and cold (more than five months), with little snow. The summer is hot with cloudless and often rainless weather. The average temperature of January is 18.5 °C ÷ −19.5 °C, July +18.8 °C ÷ +19.5 °C. The frostless season continues 109-129 days.
All rivers belong to the basin of Ob River. The middle reach of Ishim River (400 km) with its feeders Iman-Burluk and Akan-Burluk are located in North Kazakhstan region. There are also over 1000 lakes in the region. Many of them dry up from time to time. Freshwater lakes prevail. The biggest of them are Shaglyteniz, South and North Kak, Akush, Tarankol, Mengisor, Stanovoye.
Natural resources
Many types of minerals have been explored and studied in the region. 286 deposits were developed in the region. This includes 34 metallic ore, 2 non-metallic, 217 construction and technical raw materials and 33 underground water deposits including 6 mineral water deposits.
The region is a part of the North-Kazakhstan uranium-ore, diamond-bearing and tin-rare metal province. Considerable reserves of mineral raw materials are detected which take the following shares of the balance of Kazakhstan: tin — 65%, zirconium — 36, 6%, uranium — 19%, titanium — 5%, tungsten — 1, 1%. Widening prospects of Mineral raw material base are considerable, particularly in the south-west part of the region. There is a number of major deposits and ore occurrence of gold, silver, technical, gem diamonds, tin, non-ferrous and rare metals as well brown coals.
The most prepared for development deposits are Grachevskiy, Kosachinskiy, Semizbaiskiy uranium deposits, Obukhovskiy titanium-zirconium ore deposits, Syrymbetskiy tin, Severnoye Bailusty and Dombraly-2 gold deposits.
Only some deposits of construction stone and sand are under operation. Table salt exploring is performed on the deposits of Kalibek and
Zhaksytuz lakes.
Flora and fauna
North Kazakhstan region is located in the territory of forest-steppe and steppe zones. Southern forest-steppe and forest outlier prevail in the forest-steppe zone. Southern forest-steppe zone is located in the northern part of the region and consists of birch and aspen-birch forests growing on gray forest soil and solods.
Forest-steppe outlier takes the major part of North Kazakhstan region. Mixed herbs and feather grass steppes growing on ordinary black soil prevail. The forest area makes about 8% of the region’s territory. Birch forests prevail.
The fauna consists of moose, roe deer, wild boar, wolves, foxes, hares, shrews and hedgehogs. Pikes, carps, perches, ruffs, ides live in the lakes.
Economics
The volume of gross regional product for January-September 2025 amounted to 2028021,9 million tenge at current prices. GRP increased by 6,2% in real terms compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. In the structure of GRP, the share of production of goods amounted to 46,8%, services – 49,8%.
The consumer price index in February 2026 compared to December 2025 was 102,3%.
Prices for food products increased by 2,2%, non-food products – by 2,6%, paid services for the population – by 2%.
The prices of enterprises producing industrial products in February 2026 compared to December 2025 increased by 0,3%.
The volume of retail trade in January-February 2026 amounted to 61429,5 million tenge, or 0,4% more than the corresponding period in 2025.
The volume of wholesale trade in January-February 2026 amounted to 105429,4 million tenge, or 147,3% compared to the corresponding period in 2025.
According to preliminary data, in January 2026, mutual trade with the EAEU countries amounted to 33,2 million US dollars and increased by 12,2% compared to January 2025, including exports – 3,6 million US dollars (by 26,2% less), imports – 29,6 million US dollars (19,7% more by).
Labor
The number of unemployed in the IV quarter of 2025 amounted to 11,5 thousand people.
The unemployment rate was 4,4% of the labor force.
The number of persons registered in Career Centers as unemployed as of March 1, 2026 amounted to 4411 people, or 1,6% of the labor force.
Industry statistics
The volume of industrial production in January-February 2026 amounted to 162737,2 million tenge in current prices, which is 32,5% more than in January-February 2025. In the mining industry, production volumes increased by 16,5%, in the manufacturing industry – by 35,3%, in the supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and conditioned air – by 15,6%, in water supply, collection, treatment and disposal of waste, activities for the elimination of pollution – by 28%.
The volume of gross output of agricultural products (services) in January-February 2026 amounted to 28064,5 million tenge, or 104,9% by January-February 2025.
The volume of cargo turnover in January-February 2026 amounted to 1589,5 million tkm (taking into account the assessment of the volume of cargo turnover of individual entrepreneurs engaged in commercial transportation), or 98,4% compared to January- February 2025.
The volume of passenger traffic – 76,3 million pkm, or 101,4% by January-February 2025.
The volume of construction works (services) amounted to 6688,7 million tenge, or 145% compared to January-February 2025.
In January-February 2026, the total area of commissioned housing increased by 3,3% and amounted to 13,4 thousand square meters, of which in multi-apartment residential buildings – 3,1 times (1,1 thousand square meters). At the same time, the total area of commissioned individual buildings decreased by 2,7% (12,3 thousand square meters).
The volume of investments in fixed capital in January-February 2026 amounted to 35099,4 million tenge, or 89% by January-February 2025.
The number of registered legal entities as of March 1, 2026 amounted to 11017 units and decreased by 1,7% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year, including 10753 units with less than 100 employees. The number of operating legal entities amounted to 9109 units, including 8845 units – small businesses. The number of registered small and medium enterprises (legal entities) in the region amounted to 8196 units and decreased by 2,1% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year.