Largest cities in Kazakhstan by population
The 22 cities the United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2024 lists for Kazakhstan: the capital and every city of 100,000 or more, with the latest figure the country reported. The largest is Almaty with 2,292,055 people; the capital, Astana, has 1,528,703.
Who runs cities in Kazakhstan?
Regions (oblys, 17) and cities of republican significance (Astana, Almaty, Shymkent): Akim appointed by the President, who must propose at least two candidates for a vote of consent by the maslikhat deputies (2026 Constitution); maslikhat directly elected for five years. Regional budgets, development programmes, health, education and infrastructure.
How local power works in Kazakhstan · Level 3: local councils worldwide
| # | City | Population | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almaty | 2,292,055 | 2025 |
| 2 | Astana (capital) | 1,528,703 | 2025 |
| 3 | Shimkent | 1,256,164 | 2025 |
| 4 | Aktobe | 584,700 | 2024 |
| 5 | Karaganda | 526,300 | 2024 |
| 6 | Taraz | 435,900 | 2024 |
| 7 | Atirau | 422,600 | 2024 |
| 8 | Ust-Kamenogorsk | 378,200 | 2024 |
| 9 | Pavlodar | 370,400 | 2024 |
| 10 | Uralsk | 368,900 | 2024 |
| 11 | Kyzylorda | 362,300 | 2024 |
| 12 | Semipalatinsk | 313,600 | 2024 |
| 13 | Aktau | 293,500 | 2024 |
| 14 | Kustanai | 272,700 | 2024 |
| 15 | Turkestan | 237,500 | 2024 |
| 16 | Petropavlovsk | 221,900 | 2024 |
| 17 | Taldykorgan | 207,628 | 2024 |
| 18 | Koktshetau | 196,200 | 2024 |
| 19 | Temirtau | 176,700 | 2024 |
| 20 | Zhanaozen | 154,000 | 2024 |
| 21 | Ekibastuz | 144,400 | 2024 |
| 22 | Rudni | 123,300 | 2024 |
Countries define a city in different ways (the city proper, or the wider urban area) and report in different years, so cities in different countries are not always comparable.
More on Kazakhstan: official statistics · government and power · regions
Sources
- United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants, latest available year, 2005-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)
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