Abai Region

Abai Region
Абай облысы (Kazakh)
Абайская область (Russian)
Region
Official seal of Abai Region
Seal
Map of Kazakhstan, location of Abai Region highlighted
Map of Kazakhstan, location of Abai Region highlighted
Country Kazakhstan
Administrative centerSemey
Established8 June 2022
Government
 • ÄkimBerik Uali
Area
 • Total
185,500 km2 (71,600 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total
638,300
GDP (Nominal, 2024)
 • TotalKZT 3,190 billion
(US$ 6.698 billion) · 16th
 • Per capitaKZT 5,270,200
(US$ 11,067)
Time zoneUTC+5

Abai Region is a region of Kazakhstan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on 16 March 2022 that the region would be created. The area split off from East Kazakhstan Region when Tokayev's bill came into force on 8 June 2022. The administrative center of the region is Semey, until 2007 known as "Semipalatinsk". Its borders roughly correspond to the old Semipalatinsk Region which was abolished in 1997 and merged with East Kazakhstan Region.

Geography

The city of Semey is the administrative center of the region of Abai. The Region of Abai borders East Kazakhstan Region and Xinjiang to the east, Pavlodar Region and Altai Krai to the north, Karaganda Region to the west and Jetisu Region to the south.

Demographics

Population of the Abay region
2022 2023 2025 2026
611 888 610 158 600 800 595 720

Ethnic composition

Region total

Ethnic composition of the population (as of early 2026):
EthnicityPopulation%
Total595,720100.00%
Kazakhs471,84679.21%
Russians93,29415.66%
Tatars10,8371.82%
Germans8,2771.39%
Ukrainians3,0370.51%
Uyghurs1,0690.18%
Belarusians8700.15%
Uzbeks7540.13%
Chechens6110.10%
Azerbaijanis5300.09%
Koreans5040.08%
Tajiks3570.06%
Others2,7350.46%

By districts and cities of regional significance

Ethnic composition by districts and city administrations (as of early 2026)
District / CityTotalKazakhs%Russians%Tatars%Germans%Ukrainians%Belarusians%Chechens%Koreans%Azerb.%Uzbeks%
Abai Region total595,720471,84679.21%93,29415.66%10,8371.82%8,2771.39%3,0370.51%8700.15%6110.10%5040.08%5300.09%7540.13%
Semey C.A.315,314234,48574.37%62,33719.77%8,5362.71%3,3731.07%1,8160.58%4860.15%2160.07%3100.10%3570.11%4860.15%
Kurchatov C.A.9,8495,90759.98%3,26733.17%1311.33%1791.82%1251.27%460.47%50.05%90.09%140.14%150.15%
Abai District13,14212,94798.52%520.40%260.20%100.08%30.02%10.01%00.00%00.00%60.05%20.02%
Aksuat District18,09718,00299.48%150.08%110.06%360.20%00.00%20.01%00.00%00.00%00.00%00.00%
Ayagoz District61,87159,72396.53%1,1081.79%3190.52%1060.17%590.10%180.03%200.03%190.03%400.06%870.14%
Beskaragay District16,68511,89171.27%3,55221.29%3342.00%5063.03%1831.10%340.20%40.02%100.06%130.08%120.07%
Borodulikha District31,48213,38342.51%13,49942.88%6191.97%2,7648.78%4001.27%1710.54%1460.46%770.24%530.17%350.11%
Zhanasemey District19,26915,25079.14%3,11216.15%1810.94%3271.70%1670.87%450.23%80.04%250.13%10.01%60.03%
Zharma District32,74929,99491.59%1,7035.20%1610.49%3090.94%1860.57%280.09%1220.37%20.01%250.08%360.11%
Kokpekty District12,63510,60883.96%1,2179.63%3282.59%3132.48%340.27%180.14%120.10%30.02%20.02%160.13%
Makanshi District24,77124,00896.92%4621.87%470.19%280.11%160.06%40.02%30.01%20.01%10.00%170.07%
Urzhar District39,85635,64889.44%2,9707.45%1440.36%3260.82%480.12%170.04%750.19%470.12%180.05%420.11%

Districts

The districts of the region as of 2024

The region consists of the cities of Kurchatov and Semey, as well as the following 10 districts:

  1. Abai District, with the administrative center in the selo of Karauyl;
  2. Aksuat District, the village of Aksuat;
  3. Ayagoz District, the town of Ayagoz;
  4. Beskaragay District, the village of Beskaragay;
  5. Borodulikha District, the village of Borodulikha;
  6. Zharma District, the village of Kalbatau;
  7. Kokpekti District, the village of Kokpekti;
  8. Urzhar District, the village of Urzhar;
  9. Makanshi District, the village of Makanshi;
  10. Zhanasemey District, the city of Semey.

Etymology

The region was named after the Kazakh aqyn Abai Qunanbaiuly, who was born in what is now the Abai Region.

Notes

  1. ↑ Kazakh: Абай облысы, romanized: Abai oblysy, pronounced [ɑˈbɑj wobləˈsə]; Russian: Абайская область

References

  1. ↑ "Берик Уали стал акимом области Абай" [Berik Uali became the Äkim of Abai Region]. tengrinews.kz (in Russian). 17 February 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "Даниал Ахметов высказался о создании Абайской области". www.nur.kz. 6 April 2022.
  3. ↑ DOSM. "Gross domestic product by region for January-December 2024 (GRP)". stat.gov.kz.
  4. ↑ "В Казахстане появится четыре новых региона". Interfax. 16 March 2022.
  5. 1 2 Bureau of National Statistics (27 March 2026). "Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan by individual ethnic groups and age groups (at the beginning of 2026)". stat.gov.kz (in Russian). Retrieved 27 March 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ Handbook on the history of the administrative-territorial structure of the Semipalatinsk Region. - Semipalatinsk, 2006.
  7. ↑ Правовые акты Указы - О некоторых вопросах административно-территориального устройства Республики Казахстан