The following is a list of cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants in Kazakhstan. The names of many places have been changed during the 20th and 21st centuries, sometimes more than once. Wherever possible, the old names have been included and linked to the new ones.
As of 1 January 2025, the share of Kazakhstan's urban population is 63%.
List
Insignia Name in English Name in Kazakh Previous name(s) City since Pop.1979 Pop.1989 Pop.1999 Pop.2008 Pop.2023 Status Province Almaty АлматыAlmaty Vernyy, Alma-Ata 1867 909,644 1,127,884 1,129,356 1,328,362 2,217,700 1 Capital 1929–1997 Astana АстанаAstana Akmola, Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Nur-Sultan 1831 233,638 277,365 312,965 389,189 1,417,214 1 Capital Shymkent ШымкентŞymkent Chimkent, Chernyayev 321,535 380,091 390,200 454,583 1,216,000 1 Shymkent Aktobe АқтөбеAqtöbe Aktyubinsk 1880 190,569 253,532 253,088 285,507 560,820 2 Aktobe Province Karaganda ҚарағандыQarağandy 1934 571,877 507,318 436,864 451,800 515,819 2 Karagandy Province Taraz ТаразTaraz Talas, Zhambyl, Aulie-Ata 263,793 303,961 330,125 398,233 427,394 2 Jambyl Province Oskemen ӨскеменÖskemen Ust-Kamenogorsk 1868 274,287 322,221 310,950 344,421 400,142 2 East Kazakhstan Region Pavlodar ПавлодарPavlodar 1861 272,895 329,681 320,400 354,809 367,254 2 Pavlodar Province Semey СемейSemei Alash-kala, Semipalatinsk 1782 282,574 317,112 292,500 312,136 328,782 3 East Kazakhstan Region Kyzylorda ҚызылордаQyzylorda Perovsk, Ak-Mechet 1867 156,128 150,425 157,364 182,929 315,550 2 Kyzylorda Province Atyrau АтырауAtyrau Guryev 1885 130,916 149,261 142,497 158,308 315,274 2 Atyrau province Aktau АқтауAqtau Shevchenko 1963 159,245 143,396 180,373 270,886 2 Mangystau Province Kostanay ҚостанайQostanai Kustanay 1893 164,500 223,558 221,429 249,395 265,718 2 Kostanay Province Oral ОралOral Uralsk 1613 167,352 199,522 212,900 255,489 254,380 2 West Kazakhstan Region Petropavl ПетропавлPetropavl Petropavlovsk 1807 206,559 239,606 216,300 208,547 222,076 2 North Kazakhstan Province Turkistan ТүркістанTürkıstan 66741 77,692 87,600 109,673 220,133 3 South Kazakhstan Province Kokshetau КөкшетауKökşetau Stanitsa Kokchetavskaya, Kokchetav 1824 103,162 135,424 123,389 132,753 191,105 2 Akmola Province Temirtau ТеміртауTemırtau 1945 213,026 213,551 181,800 179,520 171,890 3 Karagandy Province Taldykorgan ТалдықорғанTaldyqorğan 1944 87,948 118,623 107,100 114,728 168,674 2 Almaty Province Ekibastuz ЕкібастұзEkıbastūz 1957 65,871 135,006 137,200 158,165 152,509 3 Pavlodar Region Janaözen ЖаңаөзенJañaözen Noviy Uzen 1968 34,000 48,300 51,100 60,796 152,431 3 Mangystau Province Jezkazgan ЖезқазғанJezqazğan Dzhezkazgan 1954 89,200 107,053 103,400 112,15485,012 3 Karagandy Province Balqash БалқашBalqaş 1937 78,145 86,742 81,100 86,897 81,364 3 Karagandy Province Baikonur БайқоңырBaiqoñyr Leninsk 1969 74,700 60,200 59,452 76,019 1 Kyzylorda Province Kentau КентауKentau 1955 62,991 63,784 58,100 60,799 74,464 4 South Kazakhstan Province Stepnogorsk СтепногорскStepnogorsk 1964 46,700 63,300 50,900 47,705 68,460 3 Akmola Province Satpayev СәтбаевSätbaev 1973 48,700 59,343 62,900 73,874 68,379 3 Karagandy Region Ridder РиддерRidder Leninogorsk 1934 68,135 68,730 56,269 54,252 52,068 3 East Kazakhstan Region Schuchinsk ЩучинскŞçuçinsk 1939 55,500 47,900 50,128 47,625 4 Akmola Province Shakhtinsk ШахтинскŞahtinsk 1961 50,382 65,600 54,800 54,748 39,185 3 Karagandy Region Saran СаранSaran 1954 54,878 63,900 48,500 49,082 34,636 3 Karagandy Province Arkalyk АрқалықArqalyq 1965 47,963 62,367 45,700 56,614 28,907 4 Kostanay Province
Gallery
References
External links