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Economic and Sociocultural Factors Influencing Reproductive Behaviour in Northern and Southern Regions of Kazakhstan: A Comparative Analysis
Kairat Bodaukhan, Kochyigit Zhanerke, Zhenskhan Darima, Indira Amerkhanova and Nurbakhyt Nurmukhametov
Published: 2024/12/01
Abstract
This study examines the economic and socio-cultural factors associated with reproductive behaviour in the northern and southern regions of Kazakhstan, focussing on the Kostanay, North Kazakhstan, and Turkestan regions. The objective of this study was to examine differences in fertility patterns between these locations and thereafter identify factors that are hypothesised to influence reproductive behaviour. Using data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Bank Group, demographic trends, total fertility rates, women’s labour market participation, gross regional product, marriage and divorce rates, and marriage stability from 1999 to 2021 were analysed. The findings reveal significant differences in reproductive behaviour between the studied regions, with the Turkestan region exhibiting higher fertility rates than Kostanay and North Kazakhstan. The research highlights that economic factors such as gross regional product (GRP) and labour market participation are inversely correlated with fertility, where regions with higher economic development and women’s participation in the workforce tend to have lower fertility rates. As a cultural factor, marriage stability emerges as a potentially significant influence on regional fertility differences. The research underscores the complexity of demographic processes in Kazakhstan, highlighting the interplay between economic structures and cultural factors in shaping reproductive behaviour. These findings have important implications for regional demographic policies and suggest the need for tailored approaches to address demographic challenges in different parts of the country. Keywords: Demographic transition, Fertility, TFR, Economic development, Marriage rate, Divorce rate
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