Social and ethno-demographic characteristics of the population of Akmola region based on the materials of the First All-Russian Census of 1897

The article aims to identify the content and features of social, ethnic and demographic characteristics of the population of Akmola region at the turn of the 19th‒20th centuries. The object of the study is the population of five districts of Akmola region (Akmola, Atbasar, Kokchetav, Petropavlovsk and Omsk districts) based on census materials. The paper provides a brief historiographical review of historical and demographic studies on the topic of the article; the methods and source basis of the publication are outlined. Based on the materi-als of the First All-Russian Census of 1897 and other publications of the Statistical Committee, memorandum books, and regional reviews, the main characteristics and markers of Kazakh society in one of the most sig-nificant regions in terms of territory and population —the Akmola Region of the Kirghiz (Kazakh) Territory and the Steppe General Governorate —are studied. A comparative analysis of changes in the sex structure of the population in five districts of the Akmola region, both on the eve of and during the census, was conducted using a range of materials published by the Central Statistical Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire. The characteristics and dynamics of changes in the urban and rural populations of the Akmola region were also studied.The natural movement of the population of Akmola region in the 80s —90s of the XIX centuryis considered. Some characteristics of the settled and nomadic population are studied: the number of settlements,the density of residenceamong city dwellers and villagers, etc. The intensity of literacy by age structure, religion, and national/linguistic affiliation is considered. The ethnic/linguistic pic-ture of Akmola region is studied in detail; the authors calculated that it is represented by 42 ethnic groups/linguistic groups. The multi-confessionalpictureof the Akmolaregionis presentedandanalyzed