Nailya E. Bekmakhanova
Institute of Russian History, Russian Academy of Sciences
Moscow, ul.Dm.Ulianova 19
RUSSIA
TEL: (095) 334-27-09
To demonstrate the general ethno-demographical situation in Kazakhstan from the 1920s through the 1990s, the author displays the dynamics of population, changes in its ethnic, genderand family structure, and dynamics of employment. Data from specialsociological studies are also presented.
The present moment is marked by a low birth rate among Kazakhs and birthstabilization among Slavic groups in the Republic. The birth pattern isinfluenced by migration and urbanization, social situation in the publicindustries, other social and economic processes. The Slavic ethnic group is in theabsolute majority while the Kazakhs follow it in number. The dynamics ofurbanization display that Russians, Tartars and Koreans remain urban while Kazakhs, Germans, Uzbeks, Azerbaidjanis are settled mostly in the countryside.
Mortality data by gender are presented. The main causes of female deaths inthe Republic are the declining eco-situation, economic depression affectingthe nutrition of pregnant women, lack of medicine, and the shortage of medicaland birth establishments. The role of environmental factors in the dynamics of population is demonstrated by the data on infant mortality in the eco-disaster zones of the Aral sea, Pre-Aral regions and eastern Kazakhstan whereit exceeds the average of CIS by two times and more.
There is a new problem of labor oversupply in Kazakhstan which concerns mostlythe women. The growing unemployment of women is attributed to the lack ofemployment opportunities, lack of professional opportunities, residence permitrestrictions, the absence of living places, and the development of shift workmethods as labor is transferred from other Republics and the presence ofexperienced labor production in Kazakhstan is underestimated.
Factors that can positively affect women's status in the Republic areimprovements in social infrastructure, local industries, the development ofindividual and cooperative activities, and putting an end to environmentaldegradation. The radical improvement of education and health systems areneeded to reduce the consequences of agricultural, demographic and structural overpopulation. To solve these problems increasing cooperation with the worldcommunity is necessary.
Translated by Natalia Mirovitskaya
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