AIM: To evaluate iodine status in the population of Western Kazakhstan on the example of the Aktobe region according to data of urinary iodine concentrations. There were examined 2257 children aged from 7 to 12 years. Urinary iodine was carried out in 10% of schoolchildren by semiquantitative method under field conditions. According to the 30-cluster survey the prevalence of goiter in the region amounted to 42.71 ± 1,04%. The proportion of children with optimal urinary iodine concentrations is only 12.8%, more than 300 mcg/l - 57.82% of the children, more than 400 mcg/l was determined in 25.12% of the children. The high prevalence of goiter against the background of high rates of urinary iodine suggests the impact of other goitrogenic factors in the region.