List of cities in Kazakhstan

As of March 2017, the share of Kazakhstan's urban population is 53%. Kazakhstan's modernization program and innovative development path are expected to accelerate the country's urbanization processes resulting in increased share of urban population from 53% to 70% by 2030.[1]

Provinces and main cities of Kazakhstan

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 last century, sometimes more than once. Wherever possible, the old names have been included and linked to the new ones.

Insignia	Name English	Name Kazakh	Previous name	City since	1979	1989	1999	2008	Status	Province
	Aktau	Ақтау Aqtaý	Shevchenko	1963	0	159,245	143,396	180,373	2	Mangystau Province
	Aktobe	Ақтөбе Aqtóbe	Aktubinsk	1880	190,569	253,532	253,088	285,507	2	Aktobe Province
	Almaty	Алматы Almaty	Verniy, Верный, Alma-Ata, Алма́-Ата́	1867	909,644	1,127,884	1,129,356	1,328,362	1	Capital 1929–1997
	Arkalyk	Арқалық Arqalyq		1965	47963	62367	45700	56614	4	Kostanay Province
	Atyrau	Атырау Atyraý	Guryev	1885	130916	149261	142497	158308	2	Atyrau province
	Baikonur	Байқоңыр Baıqońyr	Leninsk	1969		74700	60200	59452	1
	Balqash	Балқаш Balqash		1937	78145	86742	81100	86897	3	Karagandy Province
	Zhezkazgan	Жезқазған Jezqazǵan	Dzhezkazgan	1954	89200	107053	103400	112154	3	Karagandy Province
	Karagandy	Қарағанды Qaraǵandy		1934	571877	507318	436864	451800	2	Karagandy Province
	Kentau	Кентау Kentaý		1955	62991	63784	58100	60799	4	South Kazakhstan Province
	Kyzylorda	Қызылорда Qyzylorda		1867	156128	150425	157364	182929	2	Kyzylorda Province
	Kokshetau	Көкшетау Kókshetaý	Kokchetav	1862	103162	135424	123389	132753	2	Akmola Province
	Kostanay	Қостанай Qostanaı	Kustanay	1893	164500	223558	221429	249395	2	Kostanay Province
	Nur-Sultan	Нұр-Сұлтан Nur-Sultan	Akmola, Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Astana	1831	233638	277365	312965	389189	1	Capital
	Zhanaozen	Жаңаөзен Jańaózen	Noviy Uzen'	1968	34000	48300	51100	60796	3	Mangystau Province
	Pavlodar	Павлодар Pavlodar		1861	272895	329681	320400	354809	2	Pavlodar Province
	Petropavl	Петропавл Petropavl	Petropavlovsk	1807	206559	239606	216300	208547	2	North Kazakhstan Province
	Ridder	Риддер Rıdder		1934	68135	68730	56269	54252	3	East Kazakhstan Region
	Saran	Сараң Sarań		1954	54878	63900	48500	49082	3	Karagandy Province
	Satpayev	Сәтбаев Sátbaev		1973	48700	59343	62900	73874	3	Karagandy Region
	Semey	Семей Semeı	Alash-kala, Semipalatinsk	1782	282574	317112	292500	312136	3	East Kazakhstan Region
	Stepnogorsk	Степногорск Stepnogorsk		1964	46700	63300	50900	47705	3	Akmola Province
	Taldykorgan	Талдықорған Taldyqorǵan		1944	87948	118623	107100	114728	2	Almaty Province
	Taraz	Тараз Taraz	Talas, Zhambyl, Aulie-Ata	ancient	263793	303961	330125	398233	2	Jambyl Province
	Temirtau	Теміртау Temirtaý		1945	213026	213551	181800	179520	3	Karagandy Province
	Turkistan	Түркістан Túrkistan		ancient	66741	77692	87600	109673	3	South Kazakhstan Province
	Oral	Орал Oral	Uralsk	1613	167352	199522	212900	255489	2	West Kazakhstan Region
	Oskemen	Өскемен Óskemen	Ust'-Kamenogorsk	1868	274287	322221	310950	344421	2	East Kazakhstan Region
	Shymkent	Шымкент Shymkent	Chimkent	middle ages	321535	380091	390200	454583	2	South Kazakhstan Region
	Shakhtinsk	Шахтинск Shahtınsk		1961	50382	65600	54800	54748	3	Karagandy Region
	Schuchinsk	Щучинск Shýchınsk		1939		55500	47900	50128	4	Akmola Province
	Ekibastuz	Екібастұз Ekibastuz		1957	65871	135006	137200	158165	3	Pavlodar Region