As of May 1, 2026, total tax revenues collected across the cities and districts of East Kazakhstan Region reached KZT 64.1 billion, up KZT 9.7 billion, or 17.9%, from KZT 54.3 billion a year earlier.
The improvement, however, was uneven. Only 5 of the region’s 13 administrative territories recorded revenue growth, while collections declined in the remaining eight. Most of the increase came from Ust-Kamenogorsk and Altai District, highlighting the dominant role of the region’s industrial centers.
District and city breakdown
Tax revenues remain highly concentrated. Ust-Kamenogorsk accounts for 65.4% of total collections across the region’s cities and districts, while Altai District contributes another 14.1%. Together, these two territories generate nearly 79.5% of all local tax revenues.
Largest increases in tax revenues:
- Ust-Kamenogorsk: +KZT 9.03 billion
- Altai District: +KZT 4.93 billion
- Kokpekty District: +KZT 0.77 billion
Revenue declines were recorded in Ridder, Markakol District, Glubokoye District, Ulan District, Shemonaikha District, Zaisan District, Tarbagatai District, and Ulken Naryn District.
Top districts and cities by tax revenue:
- Ust-Kamenogorsk – KZT 41.9 billion
- Altai District – KZT 9.01 billion
- Ridder – KZT 2.69 billion
- Glubokoye District – KZT 2.07 billion
- Shemonaikha District – KZT 1.91 billion
Lowest-performing territories:
- Markakol District – KZT 0.24 billion
- Ulken Naryn District – KZT 0.59 billion
- Katon-Karagay District – KZT 0.60 billion
The gap between the largest and smallest contributors is striking. Ust-Kamenogorsk generated nearly 175 times more tax revenue than Markakol District, underscoring the region’s exceptionally high concentration of economic activity.
Top contributors in personal income tax (PIT):
- Ust-Kamenogorsk – KZT 21.90 billion
- Ridder – KZT 1.33 billion
- Glubokoye District – KZT 1.07 billion
- Altai District – KZT 1.01 billion
- Shemonaikha District – KZT 0.99 billion
Top contributors in corporate income tax (CIT):
- Ust-Kamenogorsk – KZT 13.87 billion
- Altai District – KZT 7.20 billion
- Ridder – KZT 0.53 billion
- Glubokoye District – KZT 0.32 billion
- Kokpekty District – KZT 0.31 billion
Regional development plan
The regional development agenda includes a number of industrial, infrastructure and agricultural projects, including:
- Modernization of Foundry Shop No. 10 for large-scale casting in Ust-Kamenogorsk
- Construction of a dairy processing plant with capacity of up to 200 tonnes of milk per day in Ust-Kamenogorsk
- Acquisition of equipment to expand production of measuring transformers in Ust-Kamenogorsk
- Construction of a thermal insulation materials plant in Ulan District
- Construction of a water pipeline supplying irrigated farmland in the Kabambay rural district of Tarbagatai District
The increase in tax revenues across East Kazakhstan Region continues to be driven primarily by its industrial base. Ust-Kamenogorsk and Altai District together account for almost 80% of total collections, reaffirming the central role of mining, metallurgy and related manufacturing industries in the regional economy.
At the same time, the region’s development strategy is focused less on creating entirely new industries than on modernizing existing production, expanding value-added processing and strengthening infrastructure. This approach builds on East Kazakhstan’s established competitive advantages while supporting future economic growth. The key challenge now is timely implementation, ensuring that the planned projects are completed on schedule and deliver their intended production and economic outcomes.
National Bureau of Economic Research specifically for EconomyKZ.org
