Bureau of National statistics
Agency for Strategic planning and reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan
    Key indicators
    528 620
    As of December 1, 2023, the number of registered legal entities amounted to 528620 units, including 422130 operating legal entities
    1 760 827
    The number of registered subjects of individual entrepreneurship amounted to 1760827, including 1671101 operating entities
    2 222 306
    The number of registered small and medium-sized businesses amounted to 2222306 units, including 2035147 operating ones
    Registered and operating entities by dimension and activity
    as of December 1, 2023
    Legal entities Subjects of individual entrepreneurship Branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities Subjects of small and medium business
    registered operating registered operating registered operating registered operating
    Total 528 620 422 130 1 760 827 1 671 101 32 240 22 371 2 222 306 2 035 147
    Small 519 452 413 099 - - 31 110 21 255 2 219 275 2 032 194
    Medium 6 694 6 587 - - 631 622 3 031 2 953
    Large 2 474 2 444 - - 499 494 - -
    Dynamics of subjects

    Annually, there is an increase in the number of registered legal entities by an average of 5%, so over the past ten years (2012-2022) their number has increased from 317926 to 507238 (by 189312 units or 59.5%). At the same time, it should be noted that the main growth occurs due to small legal entities, their number is steadily increasing every year by an average of 4.9%. Unlike small ones, the dynamics of medium and large legal entities is not stable. Over the past decade, against the background of the annual growth in the number of medium and large legal entities, in 2016, 2017 and 2019 their number was not significant, but decreased (by 1.3%, 1.4% and 3.1%, respectively).

    2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
    Republic of Kazakhstan 317 926 338 981 353 833 360 287 383 850 412 677 433 774 446 687 461 983 481 732 507 238
    Small 309 499 330 435 344 994 351 229 374 912 403 862 424 796 437 988 453 343 472 777 497 995
    Medium 6 095 6 113 6 364 6 572 6 502 6 432 6 490 6 297 6 235 6 494 6 685
    Large 2 332 2 433 2 475 2 486 2 436 2 383 2 488 2 402 2 405 2 461 2 558
    Registered and operating legal entities

    In November, compared to October 2023, there is a slight decrease in the number of registered legal entities (by 0,3%), compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, their number increased by 4,7%. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of operating legal entities - by 0,4% and 7,6%, respectively. Since the beginning of the year, by type of economic activity, the largest number of registered legal entities remains in the industry “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles", the share of which as of December 1, 2023. amounted to 27,7%. On the second place - "Construction" (13,3%), on the third - "Provision of other types of services" (9,9%). Together, the share of these three types of activities is 51% of all registered legal entities.

    As of December 1, 2023, the largest number of registered legal entities is in the cities of Almaty (148452 or 28,1%) and Astana (101217 or 19,1%), and in the Karaganda region (29056 or 5,5%). The smallest number of registered legal entities falls on the regions of Ulytau (3009 or 0,6%), Zhetisu (8217 or 1.6%) and Abai (8284 or 1.6%).

    Registered legal entities by type of activity and activity
    as of December 1, 2023
    Total Of them
    operating including in the process of liquidation
    newly registered active temporarily inactive
    Republic of Kazakhstan 528 620 422 130 57 517 219 667 144 946 4 878
    Agriculture, forestry and fisheries 21 075 17 797 1 989 9 294 6 514 125
    Mining and quarrying 5 328 4 425 647 1 580 2 198 50
    Manufacturing industry 26 557 20 977 1 916 11 157 7 904 286
    Supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and air conditioning 1 923 1 606 164 809 633 10
    Water supply; collection, treatment and disposal of waste, activities for the elimination of pollution 2 812 2 229 170 1 182 877 44
    Construction 70 128 53 438 6 186 20 058 27 194 1 244
    Wholesale and retail trade; car and motorcycle repair 146 652 108 962 16 440 53 481 39 041 1 670
    Transport and warehousing 21 731 17 432 2 409 8 685 6 338 218
    Provision of accommodation and food services 10 359 8 443 1 398 4 437 2 608 45
    Information and communication 17 942 15 125 3 042 7 854 4 229 67
    Financial and insurance activities 7 927 5 550 748 2 766 2 036 126
    Operations with real estate 25 399 21 877 3 062 13 930 4 885 181
    Professional, scientific and technical activities 34 759 28 410 3 158 16 219 9 033 213
    Administrative and support services activities 25 236 21 278 2 507 12 865 5 906 146
    Public administration and defense; compulsory social security 9 535 9 257 144 8 981 132 38
    Education 29 782 27 595 1 946 21 117 4 532 131
    Public health and social services 10 919 9 829 961 6 621 2 247 59
    Arts, entertainment and recreation 7 989 6 648 1 015 3 655 1 978 39
    Provision of other types of services 52 566 41 251 9 615 14 975 16 661 186
    Activities of households employing domestic workers; activities of households producing goods and services for their own consumption - - - - - -
    Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies 1 1 - 1 - -
    Registered legal entities by size and form of ownership
    as of December 1, 2023
    Total Including by forms and types of ownership
    state private total of them foreign
    with the participation of the state (without foreign participation) joint ventures (with foreign participation)
    Republic of Kazakhstan 528 620 25 555 452 653 323 11 265 50 412
    Small 519 452 20 801 448 738 256 10 980 49 913
    Medium 6 694 3 587 2 816 31 178 291
    Large 2 474 1 167 1 099 36 107 208
    Registered and operating subjects of individual entrepreneurship (IE and JV)

    In November, compared to October 2023, there is a slight decrease in the number of registered individual entrepreneurs (by 0,8%), compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, their number increased by 12,8%. At the same time, there is an decrease in the number of operating subjects of individual entrepreneurship - by 0,5% and 15,7%, respectively. Since the beginning of the year, by type of economic activity, the largest number of registered individual entrepreneurs remains in the industry “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles”, the share of which as of December 1, 2023 was 37,5%. In second place is “Provision of other types of services” (17,6%), in third place is “Agriculture, forestry and fisheries” (16,0%). Together, the share of these three types of activities is 71,1% of all registered subjects of individual entrepreneurship.

    Registered and operating subjects of individual entrepreneurship by type of activity
    as of December 1, 2023
    Total Including those operating:
    registered operating in the form of personal business in the form of a joint venture
    registered operating registered operating
    Republic of Kazakhstan 1 760 827 1 671 101 1 688 302 1 599 373 72 525 71 728
    Agriculture, forestry and fisheries 282 188 272 927 209 767 201 285 72 421 71 642
    Mining and quarrying 754 724 754 724 - -
    Manufacturing industry 100 424 95 488 100 415 95 479 9 9
    Supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and air conditioning 595 559 595 559 - -
    Water supply; collection, treatment and disposal of waste, activities for the elimination of pollution 1 991 1 862 1 990 1 861 1 1
    Construction 51 748 48 555 51 746 48 553 2 2
    Wholesale and retail trade; car and motorcycle repair 660 440 628 982 660 423 628 967 17 15
    Transport and warehousing 81 681 76 080 81 672 76 073 9 7
    Provision of accommodation and food services 44 306 41 464 44 302 41 460 4 4
    Information and communication 18 006 16 867 18 006 16 867 - -
    Financial and insurance activities 543 489 543 489 - -
    Operations with real estate 86 093 82 106 86 072 82 089 21 17
    Professional, scientific and technical activities 30 764 28 544 30 763 28 543 1 1
    Administrative and support services activities 38 277 36 136 38 266 36 125 11 11
    Public administration and defense; compulsory social security 145 142 145 142 - -
    Education 28 016 26 428 28 015 26 427 1 1
    Public health and social services 11 012 10 501 11 012 10 501 - -
    Arts, entertainment and recreation 14 557 13 599 14 556 13 598 1 1
    Provision of other types of services 309 287 289 648 309 260 289 631 27 17
    Registered and operating branches and branches of foreign legal entities

    As of December 1, 2023, the number of registered branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities amounted to 32240 units, including 22371 active ones. The largest number of registered branches and affiliates of foreign legal entities is in the cities of Almaty (3840 or 11,9%) and Astana (3737 or 11,6%), and in the Karaganda region (2133 or 6,6%). By types of economic activity, the largest number of registered branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities belong to the sectors “Provision of other types of services” (13064 or 40,5%), “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles” (4685 or 14,2%) and “Professional, scientific and technical activities” (2272 or 7,0%).

    Registered and operating branches by size and form of ownership
    as of December 1, 2023
    Total Including by forms and types of ownership
    state private total of them foreign
    with the participation of the state (without foreign participation) joint ventures (with foreign participation)
    Republic of Kazakhstan 28 190 2 496 24 379 202 710 1 315
    Small 27 103 2 259 23 577 179 673 1 267
    Medium 608 118 461 13 17 29
    Large 479 119 341 10 20 19
    Registered branches of foreign legal entities by size and activity
    as of December 1, 2023
    Total of them
    operating including in the process of liquidation
    newly registered active temporarily inactive
    Republic of Kazakhstan 4 050 2 444 382 1 001 1 061 82
    Small 4 007 2 403 381 961 1 061 81
    Medium 23 21 1 20 - 1
    Large 20 20 - 20 - -
    Registered and operating legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with foreign and joint ownership

    As of December 1, 2023, the number of registered legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with a foreign form of ownership increased by 18,1% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year. The number of registered legal entities and branches with joint ownership increased by 1,7%.

    In terms of types of economic activity, the largest share of registered legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with foreign and joint ownership falls on the sectors “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles" – 36,8%, "Provision of other types of services" – 12,1%, "Construction" – 9,5%.

    Registered and operating legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities with foreign and joint ownership by country *
    as of December 1, 2023
      Legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities
    with foreign ownership with joint ownership
    registered operating registered operating
    Republic of Kazakhstan 55 777 43 449 11 975 8 764
    Russia 22 965 19 406 5 130 3 972
    Türkiye 5 448 3 857 774 475
    China 3 935 2 429 811 554
    Uzbekistan 3 815 3 068 679 472
    Kyrgyzstan 3 065 2 292 399 303
    Ukraine 1 397 1 063 378 282
    Azerbaijan 1 355 1 065 225 156
    Germany 956 766 531 397
    Republic of Korea 879 618 182 116
    Belarus 826 722 184 141

    * Top 10 countries by the largest number of registered legal entities, branches and branches of foreign legal entities

    Registered and operating small and medium-sized businesses

    As of December 1, 2023, the number of operating SMEs increased by 11,1% compared to the corresponding date of the previous year. In the total number of SMEs, the share of individual entrepreneurs was 66,7%, legal entities of small business – 20,6%, peasant or farm enterprises – 12,6%, legal entities of medium business – 0,1%.

    In terms of types of economic activity, the largest share of registered small and medium-sized businesses falls on the sectors “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of cars and motorcycles” – 36,0%; “Provision of other types of services” – 15,2%. "Agriculture, forestry and fisheries" – 14,4%.

    Registered and operating small and medium-sized businesses by regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan
    as of December 1, 2023
    registered operating
    Republic of Kazakhstan 2 222 306 2 035 147
    Abai 59 001 53 907
    Akmola 63 393 58 495
    Aktobe 95 552 86 444
    Almaty 144 288 136 468
    Atyrau 72 873 66 602
    Batys Kazakhstan 63 918 58 531
    Zhambyl 120 696 108 332
    ZhetIsu 64 678 59 721
    Karaganda 112 018 100 354
    Kostanai 69 263 65 213
    Kyzylorda 73 975 69 636
    Mangystau 87 825 81 960
    Pavlodar 61 634 55 284
    Soltustik Kazakhstan 38 378 35 193
    Turkistan 215 558 211 244
    Ulytau 20 379 19 084
    Shygys Kazakhstan 71 537 63 897
    Astana city 258 717 230 379
    Almaty city 387 568 344 448
    Shymkent city 141 055 129 955
    Glossary

    Individual entrepreneurship - an independent, initiative activity of citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, kandas, aimed at obtaining net income, based on the property of individuals themselves and carried out on behalf of individuals, at their risk and under their property responsibility. Individual entrepreneurship is carried out in the form of personal or joint entrepreneurship.

    Personal entrepreneurship - carried out by one individual independently on the basis of property belonging to him by the right of ownership, as well as by virtue of another right that allows the use and (or) disposal of property.

    Joint entrepreneurship - carried out by a group of individuals (individual entrepreneurs) on the basis of property belonging to them on the basis of common ownership, as well as by virtue of another right that allows joint use and (or) disposal of property.

    Categories of business entities - depending on the average annual number of employees and average annual income, business entities are classified into the following categories: "subjects of small" business, including micro-entrepreneurship entities; subjects of medium business; subjects of large business. For the purposes of state statistics, only the criterion of the average annual number of employees is used.

    Principal type of activity - a type of activity, the added value of which exceeds the added value of any other type of activity carried out by an economic entity;

    Secondary type of activity - a type of activity, in addition to the main one, which is carried out with the aim of producing products (goods and services) for third parties.

    Methodological explanations

    All presented indicators are based on the Statistical Business Register, which contains information on legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities, as well as individual entrepreneurs that have been registered or re-registered with the registration authorities.

    The proposed tables show the number of registered and operating legal entities, branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, as well as small and medium-sized businesses by size, by form of ownership, by region and type of activity.

    The types of activities are presented in accordance with the current General Classifier of Types of Economic Activities (GCTEA). Entities carrying out several types of activities are accounted for by the main type that provides the greatest increase in value added.

    Operating entities in the Statistical Business Register include:

    • entities currently engaged in economic activity, ie. active;
    • newly registered and not yet engaged in economic activity;
    • entities that temporarily suspended their activities.

    In accordance with the "Classifier of the dimension of legal entities, branches and representative offices, as well as individual entrepreneurship entities by the number of employees", 3 classes of entities are provided for in dimension, depending on the average annual number of employees:

    • small (up to 100 people);
    • medium (from 101 to 250 people);
    • large (over 250 people).

    Legal entities with branches are taken into account taking into account the headcount of all its branches.

    Release responsible:
    Department of Statistical Registers and Classifications
    Department Director:
    E. Bekberdiev
    Теl. +7 7172 74-90-58
    Executor:
    A.Umirbaeva
    Теl. +7 7172 74-97-98
    E-mail: ak.umirbaeva@aspire.gov.kz
    Address:
    010000, Astana
    Mangilik el avenue, 8
    House of Ministries, entrance 4