According to the World Bank’s latest ‘Listening to Kazakhstan’ survey, around 70% of people in the country are happy with their life – a figure that has remained constant since its first survey in 2021.
The survey for 2023, conducted in partnership with the United Kingdom’s department for international development, monitors the economic and social wellbeing of Kazakhstan’s population, and provides insights into the impact of policy changes on households.
The survey reaches 1,400 households in urban and rural areas. It revealed that public perceptions of economic conditions significantly improved last year. It found that a higher percentage of respondents in 2023 believed it was a good time to start a business compared to 2021 and 2022. However, this opinion dipped in the final quarter of 2023.
Around three-quarters of respondents expressed optimism about the country’s long-term economic outlook. This optimism was especially strong in respondents aged 18-24 and in high-income families. The survey showed that support for the government’s reforms increased to 67% last year and was particularly high among young people, the elderly, and people in rural areas.
Metin Nebiler, head of the World Bank in Kazakhstan’s poverty and equity team, commented: “We found it very encouraging to see that the overall wellbeing of Kazakhstanis has been improving. The views on the [economic] outlook and the government’s performance are stable or trending positive.”
However, citizens also registered several concerns. Inflation remains a significant issue for 94% of respondents, although the annual inflation rate declined in 2023.
The survey also found that challenges such as income inequality (92%) and worries about job losses (over 50%) still need to be addressed. Additionally, perceptions of government openness and anti-corruption efforts only showed only slight improvement.
