Astana - most unprofitable region in Kazakhstan

Astana has turned out to be the most 'unprofitable' region of Kazakhstan. Budget expenditures per capita in Astana exceed the taxes per capita it generates by 113 thousand tenge ($753), Tengrinews.kz reports citing a research made by Exclusive.kz. The rating of 'profitability' of Kazakhstan's regions was made based on the information on budget expenditures per one capita in each of Kazakhstan's regions and tax deductions per one employed citizen in the same regions. This information was provided by Kazakhstan Finance Ministry and Statistics Agency. According to the research, Astana is the most unprofitable region of the country, as the budget spends an average of over 399 thousand tenge ($2,660) per one citizen, while the taxes generated by one employed citizen make only 274 thousand tenge ($1,827). This means that Astana every citizen receives an average of 113,6 thousand tenge ($757) more than he or she gives back to the budget. Astana is followed by North-Kazakhstan oblast, where citizens receive an average of 76.4 thousand tenge ($509) more than they give to the budget: the budget costs stand at 178 thousand tenge ($1,187) per capita while the average per capita taxes make 101 thousand tenge ($673). TOP 5 most unprofitable regions also include Kyzylorda oblast with costs exceeding taxes by 59.5 thousand tenge ($397), Akmola oblast where costs exceed taxes by 51 thousand tenge ($340) and Zhambyl oblast with costs exceeding taxes by 44.7 thousand tenge ($298). Atyrau oblast turned out to be the most profitable region of Kazakhstan. An average of 269 thousand tenge ($1,793) is spent per one citizen from the budget while he or her pays 479 thousand tenge ($3,193) in taxes. Almaty city is the second most profitable region of Kazakhstan, where the difference between taxes (329 thousand tenge or $2,193) and budget costs (224 thousand tenge or $1,493) per one citizen stands at 104 thousand tenge ($693). The leaders of the region's profitability also include Mangistau oblast with taxes exceeding budget costs by 98 thousand tenge ($653), West-Kazakhstan oblast where taxes exceed costs by 56 thousand tenge ($373), Aktobe oblast with taxes exceeding costs by 37 thousand tenge ($247) and Almaty oblast where taxes exceed budget costs by 10 thousand tenge ($67).