International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
19
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
PAGE NO.
19-22
10.37547/ijhps/Volume05Issue06-04
History and Prospects of Development of The Kazakh
People in Uzbekistan
Bakhadir N. Isakov
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Uzbekistan
Received:
25 April 2025;
Accepted:
21 May 2025;
Published:
23 June 2025
Abstract:
This article analyzes the history of the Kazakh people in Uzbekistan, and the demographic situation of
the Kazakhs of Uzbekistan during the years of independence. The opportunities created for the development of
the traditional cultural heritage of all nationalities and peoples living in multinational Uzbekistan are discussed.
Keywords:
Interethnic harmony, nation, Kazakh national cultural center, repatriation policy.
Introduction:
The history of mankind shows that the
ideas of prosperity of nations and interethnic harmony
are one of the most important factors of stability and
development in all regions and countries.
In Uzbekistan, from the first years of independence, the
issue of creating broad opportunities for the
restoration and development of the traditional cultural
heritage of all nations and ethnic groups living in the
territory of the republic has become one of the priority
areas of state policy. As the President of the Republic
of Uzbekistan Sh.M.Mirziyoyev noted: “Today,
representatives of more than 130 nations and ethnic
groups live in our country in agreement and harmony,
like children of one family. In this regard, the traditions
of tolerance inherent in our people since time
immemorial undoubtedly play an important role” [1].
METHODS
The article was prepared using generally recognized
scientific methods
–
historiography, comparative
historical
and
logical
analysis,
principles
of
systematicity and objectivity. At the same time, due to
the demographic nature of this study, a quantitative
method was used to analyze statistical data. Although
no census has been conducted in Uzbekistan during the
years of independence, demographic data are regularly
published by the Statistical Agency under the President
of the Republic of Uzbekistan. If issues related to the
history of diasporas began to attract the attention of
researchers from all over the world in the late 1970s,
then interest in the problem of diaspora arose in the
mid-1990s, despite the fact that representatives of
more than 130 nationalities live in the newly
independent states formed as a result of the collapse
of the Soviet Union, including Uzbekistan. Of course,
research in this area serves to ensure the stability of
interethnic relations and the adoption of scientifically
based programs for the implementation of a well-
thought-out national policy.
If issues related to the history of diasporas began to
attract the attention of researchers from all over the
world back in the late 1970s, then interest in the
problem of diaspora arose in the mid-1990s, despite
the fact that representatives of more than 130
nationalities live in the newly independent states that
emerged as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union,
including Uzbekistan. Of course, research in this area
serves to ensure the stability of interethnic relations
and the adoption of scientifically sound programs for
the implementation of a well-thought-out national
policy.
Over the years of independence, a number of detailed
works have been carried out in Uzbekistan on issues of
national policy and interethnic relations, the history of
diasporas, their ethnogenesis, territorial distribution
and migration of the population [2]. In recent years,
interest in the history of ethnic diasporas has increased
significantly, and several dissertations have been
defended on this topic [3].
It should be noted that no separate studies have been
conducted by domestic specialists on the topic of this
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
20
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International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
article. A number of studies have been conducted by
researchers from neighboring Kazakhstan on issues
related to the history of the Kazakh people living in
Uzbekistan, but these studies only partially cover some
aspects of the issues raised [4].
RESULTS
It is worth noting that representatives of all
nationalities and ethnic groups living in our
multinational country, considering the national idea,
which is an expression of a common goal and
aspiration, to be their support and support, in harmony
with each other, with their worthy contribution take an
active part in the positive changes taking place in the
economic, political and spiritual spheres. Among these
nationalities living in our country, a special place is
occupied by representatives of the Kazakh nationality,
which is the third largest ethnic group.
Regarding the status of the Kazakhs of Uzbekistan,
President Sh.M.Mirziyoyev noted: “We are very glad
that hundreds of thousands of our citizens of Kazakh
nationality, peacefully living in our multinational
country, make a significant contribution to all the
successes achieved by independent Uzbekistan. Among
them are many elected representatives of the
parliament and local authorities of Uzbekistan, as well
as leaders of various levels. The fact that more than 600
citizens of Kazakh nationality of Uzbekistan have been
awarded high state awards and titles over the years of
independence is also a confirmation of their worthy
contribution to the development of our country,
earning respect and wide recognition among our
people” [5]. If we turn to the history of the Kazakhs of
Uzbekistan, we can admit that they are considered an
autochthonous people and have long mixed with local
peoples. It is worth noting that the largest number of
Kazakhs living outside of Kazakhstan is in China, and
among the Central Asian countries
–
in Uzbekistan,
which, according to the Kazakh National Cultural Center
of the Republic of Uzbekistan, amounted to 813 627
people as of January 1, 2020. The distribution and
number of the Kazakh population in the Republic of
Uzbekistan by region is as follows [6]:
The Republic of Karakalpakstan
-
294 965
Regions:
Andijan
-
929
Bukhara
-
16 461
Fergana
-
983
Jizzakh
-
28 313
Kashkadarya
-
1948
Khorezm
-
10 588
Namangan
-
911
Navoi
-
36 759
Samarkand
-
5 020
Surkhandarya
-
2 705
Syrdarya
-
12 915
Tashkent
-
352 878
Tashkent city
-
48 252
If we look at the history of the Kazakhs of Uzbekistan,
we can see that they, along with the indigenous
peoples of Central Asia, have long led a nomadic
lifestyle in the territories of the Bukhara, Khiva and
Kokand khanates, and later in the territories of the
Turkestan Governorate General and were mainly
engaged in cattle breeding. As a result of the national-
state demarcation carried out by the Soviet
government in 1924-1925, some of them, like other
indigenous peoples of the region, settled outside the
borders of their national-territorial association. The
bulk of the Kazakh population of Uzbekistan lives in the
regions bordering Kazakhstan, mainly in the Republic of
Karakalpakstan, Tashkent, Navoi, Jizzakh regions and
the city of Tashkent. About 60 percent of Kazakhs in
Uzbekistan live in rural areas. They are successfully
engaged in such areas as cotton growing, rice growing,
animal husbandry, including karakul sheep breeding.
The urban population mainly works in the field of
education, health care, consumer services and other
non-material sectors [7]. Over the years of
independence, Uzbekistan has been a country with a
stable population growth. However, there is a
difference in the growth rates of nationalities in the
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
21
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
republic, and it can be noted that the proportion of
Uzbeks has increased, which is explained, first of all, by
the difference in birth rates, and secondly, by the
influence of such a factor as the identity of
nationalities. In particular, one of the factors that
influenced the number of Kazakhs in Uzbekistan is the
repatriation policy pursued by the government of
Kazakhstan, aimed at returning Kazakhs from
neighboring countries to their ethnic homeland for
permanent residence. Repatriation policy is a complex
process, and if in the 1990s the average annual rate of
return of Kazakhs from Uzbekistan to their ethnic
homeland was 73 thousand people, now this figure has
dropped to 5 thousand people per year, that is, the
number of Kazakhs returning to Kazakhstan living in
Uzbekistan has significantly decreased [8]. About 70
000 ethnic Kazakhs from Uzbekistan moved to
Kazakhstan permanently in 1989-1998, about 300 000
in 1999-2008, and more than 100 000 in 2009-2013 [9].
According to the last All-Union Population Census of
1989, there were 808 227 Kazakhs living in Uzbekistan,
accounting for 4.1 percent of the population, making
them the fourth largest ethnic group in the republic
[10]. In 2006, the total population of Kazakhs in
Uzbekistan was 899 195; although their numbers have
increased numerically, their share of the total
population has decreased from 4.1 percent to 3.4
percent due to increased repatriation to Kazakhstan
[11]. In 2010, the number of Kazakhs in Uzbekistan was
831 200, which was 3 percent of the total population.
In 2020, the population of Uzbekistan was 33 905 800,
and the number of Kazakhs living in the republic was
813 627, or 2.4 percent [12]. Analysis of the above data
shows that against the background of rapid growth in
the total population of Uzbekistan, there is a steady
decline in the share of Kazakhs, which can be explained
by the above factors.
At this point, it is also appropriate to dwell on the
activities of the Republican Kazakh National Cultural
Center, which unites representatives of Kazakhs living
in Uzbekistan and represents their socio-political,
economic and cultural interests. As is known, in 1989, a
number of national cultural centers began their
activities in the republic. Among them is the Kazakh
Information and Cultural Center under the Academy of
Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, and as its successor in 1992,
the Republican Kazakh National Cultural Center was
established. Currently, the Republican Kazakh National
Cultural Center is directly part of the Committee on
Interethnic Relations and Friendship with Foreign
Countries under the Cabinet of Ministers of the
Republic of Uzbekistan. It is worth noting that the
adoption of the Decree of the President of the Republic
of Uzbekistan dated May 19, 2017 №PF
-
5046 “On
measures to further improve interethnic relations and
friendly relations with foreign countries”, the Decree of
the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated
November 15, 2019 №PF
-
5876 “On approval of the
Concept of state policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in
the sphere of interethnic relations”, the
Resolution of
the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan
dated May 23, 2017 №PQ
-
2993 “On the organization
of the activities of the Committee on Interethnic
Relations and Friendly Relations with Foreign Countries
under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of
Uzbekistan”, as well as a number of other regulatory
legal acts were of great importance. The Decree of the
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures
to further improve interethnic relations and friendly
relations with foreign c
ountries” is aimed at ensuring
stability, peace and harmony in society, strengthening
in the minds of citizens the feeling of belonging to a
large, multinational united family, comprehensive
support and further development of the activities of
national cultural centers and friendship societies,
expansion of cultural and educational ties with foreign
countries. In particular, an important role was played
by the creation of the Committee on Interethnic
Relations and Friendly Relations with Foreign Countries
under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of
Uzbekistan on the basis of the Republican International
Cultural Center and the Council of Friendship Societies
and Cultural and Educational Relations with Foreign
Countries of Uzbekistan. It is worth noting that the
Republican Kazakh National Cultural Center under the
Committee on Interethnic Relations and Friendship
with Foreign Countries under the Cabinet of Ministers
of the Republic of Uzbekistan has branches in the
Republic of Karakalpakstan, Tashkent city, as well as in
the Tashkent, Bukhara, Navoi, Jizzakh, Syrdarya,
Khorezm
regions.
The
Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan
Friendship Society also serves to strengthen friendly
and cooperative relations between the two
neighboring states.
CONCLUSIONS
In general, the analysis of the demographic situation of
Kazakhs in Uzbekistan over the years of independence
shows that, despite the insignificant increase in their
total number, their share in the total population of the
republic has decreased as a result of repatriation to
Kazakhstan. Kazakhs in Uzbekistan successfully operate
in the socio-political, economic and cultural life of our
country, making a worthy contribution to the
prosperity of our homeland.
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