Page Type: languageKazakh | Ethnologue

KAZ ISO 639-3

Kazakh

казақ тілі‎ (Qazaq tili), казақша‎ (Qazaqşa) Autonym

A language of Kazakhstan

kaz
Kaisak, Kazak, Kosach
казақ тілі‎ (Qazaq tili), казақша‎ (Qazaqşa)
9,980,000 in Kazakhstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 10,100,000 (2009 census). Total users in all countries: 12,695,140.
Widespread.
1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Constitution, Article 7(1)).
Turkic, Western, Aralo-Caspian
Northeastern Kazakh, Southern Kazakh, Western Kazakh. Minor dialect differences.
SOV; postpositions; noun head final; no articles; case-marking (7 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense; comparatives; 18 consonant and 9 vowel phonemes; non-tonal; stress on final syllable; vowel harmony.
98% speak Kazakh as L1. Positive attitudes. Increasing ethnic pride and feelings of Islamic brotherhood. Also use Northern Uzbek [uzn]. Also use Russian [rus].
Increasing education in Kazakh. Newspapers. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1820–2011.
OLAC resources in and about Kazakh
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], used in China and Iran. Braille script [Brai]. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used in Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Latin script [Latn], used in Turkey.
Seminomadic. Eastern Kirghiz and Western Kirghiz erroneously applied to Kazakh. Muslim.
Kazakh
2,300 in Azerbaijan (Leclerc 2017b).
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
1,250,000 in China (2000 census). 830,000 Northeastern Kazakh, 70,000 Southwestern Kazakh (1982). 1,060,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 1,460,000 (2010 census).
Gansu province: Akesai Kazakh autonomous county; Qinghai province: northwest; Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Yili Kazakh autonomous prefecture, Balikun Kazakh and Mulei Kazakh autonomous counties.
Northeastern Kazakh, Southwestern Kazakh.
3 (Wider communication)
Muslim, traditional religion.
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Kazakh
47,000 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
2,900 in Spain (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
3,000 in Iran (1982).
Golestan province: Gorgan city, Caspian sea area.
5 (Dispersed)
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
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Kazakh
22,400 in Kyrgyzstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 33,200 (2009 census).
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
120,000 in Mongolia (2016). , based on ethnicity.
Bayan-Olgiy and Hovd provinces: mining communities east of the capital; far east Choibalsan area.
5 (Dispersed)
Muslim, traditional religion.
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Kazakh
401,000 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 648,000 (2010 census).
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
1,160 in Sweden (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
29,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity.
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
8,500 in Turkey (2019).
Kayseri province; Manisa province: Salihli district; Istanbul.
5 (Dispersed)
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
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Kazakh
1,040 in Ukraine (2001 census). Ethnic population: 5,530 (2001 census).
Unestablished
Non-indigenous.
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Kazakh
824,000 in Uzbekistan (2019). Ethnic population: 825,000 (2019 World Factbook).
Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic; Buxoro, Jizzax, Navoiy, and Sirdaryo regions.
5 (Dispersed)
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Location: Widespread.