# List of cities in 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 20th and 21st centuries, sometimes more than once. Wherever possible, the old names have been included and linked to the new ones.
As of January 1, 2025, the share of Kazakhstan's urban population is 63%.

## List

| Name in English | Name in Kazakh | Previous name | City since | 1979 | 1989 | 1999 | 2008 | 2023 | Status | Province |
| Aktau | Ақтау Aqtau | Shevchenko | 1963 | | 159,245 | 143,396 | 180,373 | 270,886 | 2 | Mangystau Province |
| Aktobe | Ақтөбе Aqtöbe | Aktyubinsk | 1880 | 190,569 | 253,532 | 253,088 | 285,507 | 560,820 | 2 | Aktobe Province |
| Almaty | Алматы Almaty | Vernyy, Alma-Ata | 1867 | 909,644 | 1,127,884 | 1,129,356 | 1,328,362 | 2,217,700 | 1 | Capital 1929–1997 |
| Astana | Астана Astana | Akmola, Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Nur-Sultan | 1831 | 233,638 | 277,365 | 312,965 | 389,189 | 1,417,214 | 1 | Capital |
| Arkalyk | Арқалық Arqalyq | | 1965 | 47,963 | 62,367 | 45,700 | 56,614 | 28,907 | 4 | Kostanay Province |
| Atyrau | Атырау Atyrau | Guryev | 1885 | 130,916 | 149,261 | 142,497 | 158,308 | 315,274 | 2 | Atyrau province |
| Baikonur | Байқоңыр Baiqoñyr | Leninsk | 1969 | | 74,700 | 60,200 | 59,452 | 76,019 | 1 | Kyzylorda Province |
| Balqash | Балқаш Balqaş | | 1937 | 78,145 | 86,742 | 81,100 | 86,897 | 81,364 | 3 | Karagandy Province |
| Jezkazgan | Жезқазған Jezqazğan | Dzhezkazgan | 1954 | 89,200 | 107,053 | 103,400 | 112,154 | 85,012 | 3 | Karagandy Province |
| Karaganda | Қарағанды Qarağandy | | 1934 | 571,877 | 507,318 | 436,864 | 451,800 | 515,819 | 2 | Karagandy Province |
| Kentau | Кентау Kentau | | 1955 | 62,991 | 63,784 | 58,100 | 60,799 | 74,464 | 4 | South Kazakhstan Province |
| Kyzylorda | Қызылорда Qyzylorda | Perovsk, Ak-Mechet | 1867 | 156,128 | 150,425 | 157,364 | 182,929 | 315,550 | 2 | Kyzylorda Province |
| Kokshetau | Көкшетау Kökşetau | Stanitsa Kokchetavskaya, Kokchetav | 1824 | 103,162 | 135,424 | 123,389 | 132,753 | 191,105 | 2 | Akmola Province |
| Kostanay | Қостанай Qostanai | Kustanay | 1893 | 164,500 | 223,558 | 221,429 | 249,395 | 265,718 | 2 | Kostanay Province |
| Janaözen | Жаңаөзен Jañaözen | Noviy Uzen | 1968 | 34,000 | 48,300 | 51,100 | 60,796 | 152,431 | 3 | Mangystau Province |
| Pavlodar | Павлодар Pavlodar | | 1861 | 272,895 | 329,681 | 320,400 | 354,809 | 367,254 | 2 | Pavlodar Province |
| Petropavl | Петропавл Petropavl | Petropavlovsk | 1807 | 206,559 | 239,606 | 216,300 | 208,547 | 222,076 | 2 | North Kazakhstan Province |
| Ridder | Риддер Ridder | Leninogorsk | 1934 | 68,135 | 68,730 | 56,269 | 54,252 | 52,068 | 3 | East Kazakhstan Region |
| Saran | Саран Saran | | 1954 | 54,878 | 63,900 | 48,500 | 49,082 | 34,636 | 3 | Karagandy Province |
| Satpayev | Сәтбаев Sätbaev | | 1973 | 48,700 | 59,343 | 62,900 | 73,874 | 68,379 | 3 | Karagandy Region |
| Semey | Семей Semei | Alash-kala, Semipalatinsk | 1782 | 282,574 | 317,112 | 292,500 | 312,136 | 328,782 | 3 | East Kazakhstan Region |
| Stepnogorsk | Степногорск Stepnogorsk | | 1964 | 46,700 | 63,300 | 50,900 | 47,705 | 68,460 | 3 | Akmola Province |
| Taldykorgan | Талдықорған Taldyqorğan | | 1944 | 87,948 | 118,623 | 107,100 | 114,728 | 168,674 | 2 | Almaty Province |
| Taraz | Тараз Taraz | Talas, Zhambyl, Aulie-Ata | ancient | 263,793 | 303,961 | 330,125 | 398,233 | 427,394 | 2 | Jambyl Province |
| Temirtau | Теміртау Temırtau | | 1945 | 213,026 | 213,551 | 181,800 | 179,520 | 171,890 | 3 | Karagandy Province |
| Turkistan | Түркістан Türkıstan | | ancient | 66741 | 77,692 | 87,600 | 109,673 | 220,133 | 3 | South Kazakhstan Province |
| Oral | Орал Oral | Uralsk | 1613 | 167,352 | 199,522 | 212,900 | 255,489 | 254,380 | 2 | West Kazakhstan Region |
| Oskemen | Өскемен Öskemen | Ust-Kamenogorsk | 1868 | 274,287 | 322,221 | 310,950 | 344,421 | 400,142 | 2 | East Kazakhstan Region |
| Shymkent | Шымкент Şymkent | Chimkent, Chernyayev | Middle Ages | 321,535 | 380,091 | 390,200 | 454,583 | 1,216,000 | 1 | Shymkent |
| Shakhtinsk | Шахтинск Şahtinsk | | 1961 | 50,382 | 65,600 | 54,800 | 54,748 | 39,185 | 3 | Karagandy Region |
| Schuchinsk | Щучинск Şçuçinsk | | 1939 | | 55,500 | 47,900 | 50,128 | 47,625 | 4 | Akmola Province |
| Ekibastuz | Екібастұз Ekıbastūz | | 1957 | 65,871 | 135,006 | 137,200 | 158,165 | 152,509 | 3 | Pavlodar Region |

## Gallery

* Almaty
* Shymkent
* Karaganda
* Pavlodar
* Oskemen
* Semey
* Aktobe
* Kostanay
* Aktau
* Turkistan
* Baikonur