Cities in Kazakhstan: list by population and what is nearby
The largest cities in Kazakhstan are Almaty (2.35 million), Astana (1.64 million) and Shymkent (1.29 million), followed by Aktobe and Karaganda. Almaty is the biggest, but Astana is the capital. Kazakhstan’s statistics bureau lists 90 cities on 1 January 2026, home to about 64% of the population, or 13.03 million of 20.5 million people.
Major cities in Kazakhstan by population
This table holds all 21 cities with more than 100,000 people, plus two smaller regional capitals. Figures are from the Bureau of National Statistics for 1 January 2026 and count the city proper. The names link to our city guides where we have one.
| City | Population, 1 Jan 2026 | Status or region | Nearby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almaty | 2,347,924 | city of republican status | Charyn, Kolsai: from Almaty |
| Astana | 1,638,233 | capital | Burabay, Korgalzhyn: from Astana |
| Shymkent | 1,293,648 | city of republican status | Sairam, Aksu-Zhabagly: from Shymkent |
| Aktobe | 598,558 | Aktobe | Mugodzhar hills |
| Karaganda | 533,314 | Karaganda | Karkaraly, Karlag: from Karaganda |
| Taraz | 439,749 | Zhambyl | Akyrtas, Aisha Bibi: from Taraz |
| Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk) | 360,663 | East Kazakhstan | Bukhtarma, Altai: from Oskemen |
| Pavlodar | 336,079 | Pavlodar | Bayanaul: from Pavlodar |
| Atyrau | 328,541 | Atyrau | Saraishyk, Akzhaiyk |
| Semey | 315,276 | Abai | Zhidebay: from Semey |
| Aktau | 298,662 | Mangystau | Bozzhyra, Sherkala: from Aktau |
| Kyzylorda | 287,604 | Kyzylorda | Baikonur: from Kyzylorda |
| Kostanay | 277,063 | Kostanay | Naurzum |
| Uralsk | 259,326 | West Kazakhstan | Bokey Orda |
| Turkistan | 245,522 | Turkistan | Yasawi, Sauran: from Turkistan |
| Petropavl | 222,115 | North Kazakhstan | Botai |
| Kokshetau | 183,170 | Akmola | Burabay, Zerenda: from Kokshetau |
| Taldykorgan | 171,851 | Zhetysu | Zhetysu Alatau: from Taldykorgan |
| Temirtau | 170,235 | Karaganda | — |
| Ekibastuz | 127,009 | Pavlodar | — |
| Rudny | 111,863 | Kostanay | — |
| Zhezkazgan | 89,195 | Ulytau | Ulytau |
| Konaev | 58,063 | Almaty Region | Kapshagay: from Konaev |
The last column shows why you would base yourself there. Cities without a link have no guide on this site.
Which city should you base yourself in?
Choose by the landscape around it, as the size of the city tells you little. For a first visit, most travellers start in Almaty or Astana, the two we cover in most detail, with day plans, transport and opening hours.
| You want | Base |
|---|---|
| Mountains and canyons | Almaty |
| Northern lakes and pine forest | Astana or Kokshetau |
| Shrines and ruined Silk Road towns | Shymkent, Turkistan, Taraz |
| Chalk desert and the Caspian | Aktau |
| The Altai | Oskemen |
Distances are long, so check how you will move between them in getting around and trains. Check your month as well: Almaty weather and Astana weather have their own pages, and when to go to Kazakhstan covers the whole year.
Why population figures differ
Population numbers vary between sources because the bureau publishes the city and the wider city administration separately. Uralsk has 259,326 people in the city and 372,329 with its administration, and Atyrau has 328,541 and 431,148. Compare like with like, and quote the date. Towns that survive only as ruins are in the ancient cities of Kazakhstan.
Aktau, Kazakhstan: what to do in the Caspian port city and the desert around it
Aktau is a young Soviet-built port on the Caspian Sea, at the far western edge of Kazakhstan. The city gives you a seafront and a few …
Aktobe, Kazakhstan: what to see, the weather by month and trips into the steppe
Aktobe is the largest city in western Kazakhstan, a steppe city on the Ilek River with reservoirs on its edge. It works best as a short stop …
Almaty weather by month: temperature, rain, snow and what to pack
Almaty's November averages 8 °C by day with 16 frosty nights. April is the wettest month at 112 mm, September the driest at 28 mm, and July …
Astana weather by month: how cold it gets, wind and frost
Astana's airport station logged 52 nights a year at −20 °C (−4 °F) or colder from 2015 to 2024, and 9 at −30 °C. The lowest was −41 °C. An …
Atyrau, Kazakhstan: weather, sights and what the city works for as a base
Atyrau is an oil city on the Ural River near the Caspian Sea, about 2,700 km west of Almaty by Wikipedia. It works for a day or two of …
Karaganda, Kazakhstan: what to see in the coal city and when to come
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Pavlodar, Kazakhstan: weather, things to do and the Irtysh river city as a base
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Things to do in Almaty: 10 places, a one-day plan and three days without a car
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Things to do in Astana: Khan Shatyr, Baiterek, the pyramid and a one-day plan
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Things to do in Kokshetau, the lakeside city that serves as a base for Burabay and Zerenda
Kokshetau is a regional capital on Lake Kopa in northern Kazakhstan, about 276 km in a straight line from Astana. Its few town sights take a …
Things to do in Konaev, the reservoir town north of Almaty
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Things to do in Kostanay, a steppe city on the Tobol River
Kostanay is a regional capital in Kazakhstan's far north, built in 1879 on the Tobol River. It is a city of museums, mosques, riverside …
Things to do in Kyzylorda, the desert city on the Syr Darya
Kyzylorda is a regional capital in the Kazakh desert, a former capital of the Kazakh ASSR and a rail stop between western and southern …
Things to do in Oral (Uralsk): a Cossack river town on Europe's edge
Oral, still widely known as Uralsk, sits on the Ural River in Kazakhstan's far northwest, close to the Russian border. It suits travellers …
Things to do in Oskemen, the river city at the edge of the Altai
Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk) is a working industrial city where the Irtysh and Ulba rivers meet. It is a pleasant summer stopover and a gateway …
Things to do in Petropavl, the northern city on the Ishim River
Petropavl grew from an 18th-century fortress on a red cliff above the Ishim, about 40 km from the Russian border. It suits travellers …
Things to do in Semey, the Irtysh city of Abai and Dostoevsky
Semey, known until 2007 as Semipalatinsk, is a river city in north-eastern Kazakhstan. It is a literary museum stop and the place that …
Things to do in Shymkent and how to use it as a base in southern Kazakhstan
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Things to do in Taldykorgan, and how the city works as a base for Jetisu nature
Taldykorgan is a regional capital of about 145,000 people in the foothills of the Zhetysu (Dzhungarian) Alatau. Its own sights are modest. …
Things to do in Taraz, the old Silk Road city near the Kyrgyz border
Taraz is a regional capital in southern Kazakhstan with medieval mausoleums, an excavated old town and a long Silk Road past. It works best …
Things to do in Turkistan, Kazakhstan: the Yasawi Mausoleum and a compact old city
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Things to do in Zhezkazgan, the copper city at the centre of Kazakhstan
Zhezkazgan is a mining city near the geographic centre of Kazakhstan. It is known for copper, cosmonaut trees and a role as the gateway to …
Frequently asked questions
How many cities are there in Kazakhstan?
90 on 1 January 2026, by our count of the city rows in the Bureau of National Statistics table, including Astana, Almaty and Shymkent.
What is the biggest city in Kazakhstan?
Almaty, with 2,347,924 people on 1 January 2026. The capital, Astana, is second with 1,638,233.
Is Almaty the capital of Kazakhstan?
No. Astana is the capital. Almaty was the capital until 1997 and remains the largest city.