The Russian population of the Western Kazakhstan in the late 19th – early 20th centuries: formation and economic profile

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines the formation of the Russian population in the Western Kazakhstan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Studying the formation of the Russian population in the Western Kazakhstan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an important stage in the history of the region is relevant in the conditions of contemporary ethnocultural interactions.
The materials and methods. Pre-revolutionary statistical data, archival documents, and publications intended for migrants were used as sources. Historical, demographic, and sociocultural approaches were applied, allowing for the study to encompass both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the investigated phenomenon.
The research results. Key socio-ethnic groups, namely the Cossacks, migrants, and non-residents, and the characteristics of their interactions in the Ural and Turgay regions have been analyzed. Demographic changes, population dynamics, and the structure of the Russian population have been examined.
Discussion and Conclusion. Migration factors, the role of state resettlement policy, and the specifics of economic adaptation, including land development, agricultural development, crafts, and integration into the regional economic system, have been discussed. Particular attention has been paid to the Cossack economic structure and the daily lives of the first settlers. The conclusion emphasizes that the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the process of ethnic formation and socioeconomic integration of the Russian population in the Western Kazakhstan in the pre-revolutionary period.