Karaganda region is one of the most industrially developed regions of the country. The volume of industrial production in the region in 2021 amounted to 4265.6 billion tenge, including 3,428.6 billion tenge – manufacturing industry, whose share in the total volume of industrial production was 80.4% (Figure 1).

Figure 1. The share of the manufacturing industry, in %

Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan

In terms of export volumes, the Karaganda region is in 1st place among other regions of Kazakhstan and occupies more than a quarter of the total share.

The volume of the gross regional product of the region in January-December 2021 amounted to 7695.8 billion tenge, and over the past 5 years has increased 1.8 times (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Gross regional product, billion tenge

Source: Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The share of the manufacturing industry in the total volume is 34.9% or 2 685.9 billion tenge.

On May 3, 2022, by Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 887 On Some Issues of the Administrative-territorial structure of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ulytau region was formed with the administrative center in the city of Zhezkazgan by separating Zhanaarka, Ulytau districts, the towns of Zhezkazgan, Karazhal and Satpayev from the Karaganda region.

In 2010-2021, 99 projects worth 571.9 billion tenge were commissioned in the Karaganda region within the framework of the Industrialization Map and the Entrepreneurship Support Map, and about 8.8 thousand permanent jobs were created. Of these projects, 20 projects worth 168.5 billion tenge with the creation of 1602 permanent jobs belong to the administrative-territorial units that are part of the Ulytau region. The largest number of projects was introduced in the administrative center of Zhezkazgan – 8 projects (in the amount of 6.5 billion tenge and the creation of 662 jobs). Thus in Zhezkazgan has established the production of automobile filters with a capacity of 148 thousand units, sewing products with a capacity of 1.8 million units, processing of 1.2 million tons of gold-bearing ores has been established. Created by the food industry enterprises of the city of Zhezkazgan in 2021, more than 50 tons of bread and bakery products, 27 tons of specialized food products, 12.5 million eggs were produced. According to the volume of investments, the largest share in the Ulytau region is occupied by the city of Karazhal 92% or 154.9 billion tenge. Thus , in Karazhal has established production facilities for processing iron and manganese ore with a design capacity of 125 thousand tons and processing barite ores with a capacity of 100 thousand tons per year. At the same time, the modernization of the existing production and the construction of an enrichment plant in Karazhal allowed expanding the design capacity to 100 thousand tons of lead concentrate and up to 550 thousand tons of zinc concentrate per year. It should also be noted that the production of roller supports with a capacity of 10 thousand tons has been established in Satpayev. units and compressor units for mining equipment with a capacity of 50 units per year.

In Zhanaarka district, projects have been implemented mainly in the areas of agriculture, such as the construction of feedlots (total design capacity of 5 thousand heads), meat processing and sausage production (design capacity of 80 tons). At the same time, in 2021, 370.3 thousand tons of coal were extracted and processed in the Zhanaarkinsky district. Within the framework of the Industrialization Map and the Entrepreneurship Support Map for the period 2010-2021, there are no projects implemented in the Ulytau district.

Table 25. Administrative division projects

In the newly created Ulytau region for 2022-2025, it is planned to implement 6 projects with a total investment of 41.8 billion tenge and with the creation of about 500 jobs. The implementation of these projects will make it possible to organize the production of chemical reagents necessary for the mining and metallurgical complex with a design capacity of 12 thousand tons per year, increase production by 14 thousand tons of cathode copper, 720 kg of Dore alloy, 11 thousand tons of lead and 4 thousand tons of zinc concentrates. According to the established plans, when the established design capacities are reached, the total production volume will grow by 88.5 billion tenge, of which 48.9 billion tenge is provided for export.

The newly created region of the country faces the tasks of accelerated development of the region by strengthening industries, mastering the production of new types of products, entering the region's economy into the system of economic relations of the country, solving social problems and increasing employment.