Premise: Astana ( , ; Kazakh: Astana ] ) is the capital city of Kazakhstan. It is located on the banks of Ishim River in the north portion of Kazakhstan, within the Akmola Region, though administrated separately from the region as a city with special status. The 2017 census reported a population of 1,006,574 within the city limits, making it the second-largest city in Kazakhstan, behind Almaty.
Hypothesis: There were two other cities that had a higher population compared to Astana in 2017.