Largest Cities and Settlements by Population in Kazakhstan (2026)

109 cities and settlements in Kazakhstan with 20,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by population estimates for January 1, 2026 (by Agency of Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan). 15 places missing from those estimates keep their 2021 census figure.

Rank	City or Settlement	Also Known As	Native Name	Population
1	Almaty	Alma-Ata	Алматы	2,348,103
2	Astana	Nur-Sultan, Celinograd, Aqmola	Астана	1,639,176
3	Shymkent	-	Шымкент	1,294,050
4	Aktobe	Aqtóbe, Akt'ubinsk	Ақтөбе	598,683
5	Karaganda	Qaraǵandy	Қарағанды	533,344
6	Taraz	Dzambul, Auliye-Ata	Тараз	487,499
7	Oskemen	Ust'-Kamenogorsk	Өскемен	360,689
8	Pavlodar	-	Павлодар	336,073
9	Atyray	Gurjev	Атырау	328,616
10	Semey	Semeı, Semipalatinsk	Семей	315,314
11	Aktau	Aqtaý, Ševcenko	Ақтау	298,716
12	Kyzylorda	Qyzylorda, Kzyl-Orda	Қызылорда	287,661
13	Kostanay	Qostanaı, Kustanaj	Қостанай	277,064
14	Oral	Ural'sk	Орал	259,361
15	Turkistan	Turkestan	Түркістан	245,606
16	Petropavl	Petropavlovsk	Петропавл	222,113
17	Kokshetau	Kókshetaý, Kokčetav	Көкшетау	183,218
18	Taldykorgan	Taldyqorǵan, Taldy-Kurgan	Талдықорған	171,882
19	Temirtay	-	Теміртау	170,244
20	Ekibastuz	-	Екібастұз	127,027
21	Rudniy	Rýdnyj	Рудный	111,861
22	Jezkazgan	Jezqazǵan, Dzezkazgan	Жезқазған	89,211
23	Kaskelen	Qaskeleń	Қаскелең	89,032
24	Zhanaozen	Jańaózen, Novyj Uzen'	Жаңаөзен	76,430
25	Kentay	-	Кентау	73,876
26	Balkhash	Balqash, Balchaš	Балқаш	72,796
27	Zachagansk	-	Зачаганск	67,974
28	Satpayev	Sátbaev, Nikol'skij, Satpajev	Сәтбаев	67,846
29	Talgar	-	Талғар	65,930
30	Qosshy	-	Қосшы	65,084
31	Kulsary	Qulsary	Құлсары	64,379
32	Saryagash	Saryag'ash	Сарыағаш	62,782
33	Jarkent	Panfilov, Zharkent	Жаркент	58,907
34	Qonayev	Qonaev, Qapshaǵaı	Қонаев	58,075
35	Beyneu	Beıneý	Бейнеу	57,252
36	Arys	-	Арыс	55,112
37	Alatauincl. Jetigen	Alataý	Алатау	55,086
38	Aksu	Aqsý	Ақсу	51,856
39	Uzynagash	-	Ұзынағаш	50,083
40	Stepnogorsk	Stepnogor	Степногор	48,048
41	Shuchinsk	Ščýchınsk, Shchoche	Щучинск	47,554
42	Aiteke Bi	Novokazalinsk	Әйтеке би	46,596
43	Shu	Shý	Шу	45,090
44	Ridder	Leninogorsk	Риддер	43,889
45	Zhetisay	Jetisaı	Жетісай	42,865
46	Esik	-	Есік	40,718
47	Ayagoz	Ajagóz	Аягөз	40,169
48	Korday	Qordaı	Қордай	39,392
49	Shahtinsk	-	Шахтинск	37,980
50	Aral	-	Арал	37,375
51	Shieli	-	Шиелі	37,118
52	Mangystay	-	Маңғыстау	36,543
53	Boralday	Boraldaı	Боралдай	35,863(2021 census)
54	Rahat	-	Рахат	35,468(2021 census)
55	Aksay	Aqsaı	Ақсай	35,384
56	Zhanakorgan	Jańaqorǵan	Жаңақорған	34,969
57	Altai	Zyrjanovsk	Алтай	34,960
58	Kandyagash	Qandyaǵash, Oktjabr'sk	Қандыағаш	34,807
59	Jitiqara	Zhetikara	Жітіқара	34,394
60	Saran	-	Саран	34,130
61	Aksukent	Aqsý, Aqsýkent, Aksu	Ақсу	34,071
62	Lenger	Leńgir	Леңгір	33,969
63	Sarykemer	-	Сарыкемер	33,107
64	Otegen Batyr	Ênergetičeskij	Өтеген батыр	32,533
65	Derkul	Derqul	Дерқұл	32,455
66	Shubarsy	-	Шұбарсу	32,390(2021 census)
67	Basqudyq	-	Басқұдық	31,534(2021 census)
68	Shardara	-	Шардара	31,252
69	Baikonur	Baıqońyr, Bajkonyr, Leninsk	Байқоңыр / Байконыр	31,233
70	Karagayly	Qarǵaly	Қарғалы	30,999(2021 census)
71	Tasboget	-	Тасбөгет	30,822
72	Lisakovsk	Lısakov	Лисаков	30,800
73	Hromtay	-	Хромтау	30,393
74	Mankent	-	Манкент	30,135(2021 census)
75	Zhibek Zholy	Jibek Joly	Жібек Жолы	30,124(2021 census)
76	Atbasar	-	Атбасар	29,751
77	Tekeli	-	Текелі	29,596
78	Atameken	-	Атамекен	29,294(2021 census)
79	Shelek	-	Шелек	29,032(2021 census)
80	Tobyl	Zatobol	Тобыл	28,936
81	Ushkonyr	Shamalgan	Шамалған	28,644(2021 census)
82	Abay	Abaı	Абай	28,126
83	Karatau	Qarataý	Қаратау	27,948
84	Qazygurt	-	Қазығұрт	27,733
85	Shalkar	Shalqar	Шалқар	27,321
86	Arkalyk	Arqalyq	Арқалық	27,149
87	Baiserke	-	Байсерке	26,338(2021 census)
88	Turar Rysqulov	-	Тұрар Рысқұлов	25,700
89	Janatas	Zhanatas	Жаңатас	25,578
90	Qyzyltobe	-	Қызылтөбе	25,188(2021 census)
91	Abay	Abaı	Абай	23,654
92	Alga	-	Алға	22,365
93	Chundzha	Shonja	Шонжа	21,900
94	Tuzdybastay	-	Тұздыбастау	21,693(2021 census)
95	Eski Iqan	-	Ескі Иқан	20,885(2021 census)
96	Muhametjan Tyimebaev	-	Мұхаметжан Түймебаев	20,781(2021 census)
97	Usharal	-	Үшарал	20,392
98	Josaly	Zhosaly	Жосалы	20,079
99	Tole Bi	-	Төле би	19,707
100	Sholakkorgan	Sholaqqorǵan	Шолаққорған	19,639
101	Qarabulaq	-	Қарабұлақ	19,329
102	Karabulak	Qarabulaq	Қарабұлақ	19,329
103	Kulan	Qulan	Құлан	18,538
104	Temirlan	-	Темірлан	18,315
105	Makinsk	-	Макинск	17,915
106	Zaysan	Zaısan	Зайсан	17,884
107	Shemonaikha	Shemonaıha	Шемонайха	17,842
108	Ushtobe	-	Үштөбе	17,784
109	Sarkand	Sarqan	Сарқан	17,312

Source: Agency of Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2026 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.

Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less

Tokyo

33,338,852

Urban area

9,953,160

23 wards

Essen

2,709,375

Urban area

573,618

City of Essen

Ankara

3,630,865

Urban area

5,186,002

Metropolitan municipality

What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.

Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.

34 urban areas in Kazakhstan with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

Rank	Urban Area	Population Estimate (2026)	Yearly Change	Land Area (km²)	Density (P/km²)	World Rank	Projections (2030)	Projections (2050)
1	Almaty	2,418,762	+2.11%	349	6,931	206	2,623,365	3,373,362
2	Shymkent	1,200,845	+1.37%	247	4,858	432	1,266,878	1,524,175
3	Astana	1,068,256	+0.27%	161	6,619	482	1,079,730	1,110,354
4	Aktobe	418,460	+0.48%	91	4,619	1,364	426,479	471,066
5	Aktau	325,716	+4.64%	87	3,761	1,781	386,151	664,603
6	Karaganda	314,174	+0.21%	64	4,909	1,846	316,754	327,323
7	Semey	299,113	+0.09%	91	3,287	1,954	300,176	303,586
8	Pavlodar	280,491	+0.25%	62	4,510	2,086	283,260	289,340
9	Kyzylorda	253,835	+1.29%	79	3,197	2,324	266,947	324,709
10	Ust-Kamenogorsk	252,092	+0.68%	66	3,831	2,348	258,973	267,756
11	Turkestan	222,290	+1.88%	76	2,933	2,688	238,977	278,503
12	Taraz	196,283	+7.87%	48	4,089	3,086	258,041	353,197
13	Atyrau	194,041	0.00%	68	2,854	3,139	194,027	193,324
14	Oral	187,986	+0.27%	48	3,916	3,247	190,000	208,881
15	Zhanaozen	178,247	+3.60%	42	4,244	3,433	203,927	380,083
16	Kostanay	175,585	−0.69%	42	4,201	3,487	170,739	157,308
17	Taldykorgan	175,536	+1.58%	52	3,363	3,488	186,628	247,245
18	Temirtau	144,654	+0.28%	35	4,133	4,277	146,297	152,475
19	Kokshetau	139,460	+0.12%	34	4,102	4,417	140,154	143,588
20	Petropavl	139,017	+0.08%	39	3,565	4,434	139,453	147,718
21	Ekibastuz	123,567	+0.14%	28	4,413	5,023	124,274	127,915
22	Qızıltöbe	107,226	+7.78%	31	3,415	5,833	140,578	256,898
23	Sarıağaş	76,165	+4.11%	27	2,780	8,284	88,670	118,421
24	Sayram	74,339	+5.09%	29	2,581	8,481	89,481	117,067
25	Май-Кудук	74,041	+0.16%	15	4,936	8,522	74,515	77,182
26	Aqbay	72,341	+1.32%	35	2,067	8,694	76,167	101,968
27	Balqaş	69,508	+0.23%	17	4,089	9,023	70,150	71,875
28	Jezqazğan	67,190	+6.50%	19	3,499	9,340	84,649	112,734
29	Jetisay	66,049	+5.72%	17	3,931	9,511	81,163	99,863
30	Zharkent	61,322	+1.70%	20	3,036	10,233	65,501	81,254
31	Esik	60,612	+3.00%	19	3,259	10,343	67,886	113,883
32	Merki	58,692	+1.80%	24	2,425	10,642	62,907	85,771
33	Beynew	56,593	+3.03%	18	3,144	11,021	63,463	138,900
34	Ayteke Bi	52,703	+1.50%	14	3,711	11,769	55,860	66,995

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

Data topics

Reference

Tools

Largest Cities and Settlements by Population in Kazakhstan (2026)

See also