Two state archives in Kazakhstan granted national status

By decree of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, two state archives in the country have been granted national status. The relevant decree will enter into force on January, 1 in 2027, El.kz reports citing the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information.

The new status has been granted to the National Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

According to the Ministry, the decision underscores the special role of archival institutions in preserving the country’s historical and cultural heritage, safeguarding and ensuring access to documentary records, digitising archival holdings, and making historical materials available for academic research.

About the Archives

The Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established in 1921. Its holdings include unique documents reflecting various periods in the country’s history, the formation of Kazakh statehood, the development of national culture and science, and the lives and work of prominent individuals.

The archive currently holds 2,309 archival fonds comprising more than 1.3 mln archival items.

The National Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established in 2006. Its mandate is to acquire, preserve and facilitate the use of documents reflecting Kazakhstan’s political, socio-economic and cultural development.

The National Archive currently holds 405,589 archival items organised into 311 fonds. The institution safeguards the country’s documentary heritage and provides access to archival materials for public authorities, researchers and citizens.