Kazakhstan Cities Population 2026: Top 30 Ranked Dataset
Reported from the ground: Tugelbay Konabayev is a Kazakh native (born in Aktobe) who has lived 7 years in Almaty and 4 in Astana. About the author.
In this article12 sections
Kazakhstan’s three largest cities in 2026 are Almaty (2.20 million), Astana (1.43 million), and Shymkent (1.24 million). All three hold special “city of national significance” status. Total Kazakhstan population reached 20.50 million as of 1 January 2026, up 212,000 from 2025 (+1.04%). Astana is the fastest-growing major city (+3.48% YoY) due to government and business migration. This dataset covers the top 30 cities with population, growth rate, region, founding year, and coordinates, sourced from the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan.
Quick Facts
- Kazakhstan population: 20,495,975 (1 January 2026, official)
- Urban share: 63.6% (13.03 million)
- 3 cities over 1 million: Almaty (2.20M), Astana (1.43M), Shymkent (1.24M)
- 27 cities have 100,000+ population
- Largest city: Almaty (financial & cultural capital)
- Capital: Astana (since 1997, was Akmola → Astana → Nur-Sultan → Astana again 2022)
- Fastest-growing: Astana (+3.48% YoY) - government migration
- Annual national growth: +1.04% (+212,000 people in 2025-2026)
- Largest by area: Astana (~810 km²)
- Source: Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan (stat.gov.kz)
Primary source:
Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan (stat.gov.kz)
population publications, 1 January 2026 census update; verified against stat.gov.kz region overview.
Headline Numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Kazakhstan population | 20,495,975 (1 Jan 2026) |
| Urban population | 13,029,803 (63.6%) |
| Rural population | 7,466,172 (36.4%) |
| Cities with 1M+ population | 3 (Almaty, Astana, Shymkent) |
| Cities with 100K+ population | 27 |
| Annual growth rate 2025-2026 | +1.04% (+212,000 people) |
| Fastest-growing major city | Astana (+3.48% YoY) |
| Largest by area | Astana (~810 km²) |
Top 10 Kazakhstan Cities by Population (2026)
| Rank | City | Population 2026 | Population 2025 | Growth | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almaty | 2,197,000 | 2,173,000 | +1.10% | City of national significance |
| 2 | Astana | 1,426,000 | 1,378,000 | +3.48% | Capital, city of national significance |
| 3 | Shymkent | 1,244,000 | 1,217,000 | +2.22% | City of national significance |
| 4 | Aktobe | 548,000 | 538,000 | +1.86% | Regional center, Aktobe Region |
| 5 | Karaganda | 505,000 | 503,000 | +0.40% | Regional center, Karagandy Region |
| 6 | Taraz | 394,000 | 388,000 | +1.55% | Regional center, Jambyl Region |
| 7 | Pavlodar | 365,000 | 362,000 | +0.83% | Regional center, Pavlodar Region |
| 8 | Ust-Kamenogorsk | 348,000 | 345,000 | +0.87% | Regional center, East Kazakhstan |
| 9 | Atyrau | 332,000 | 323,000 | +2.79% | Regional center, Atyrau Region (oil hub) |
| 10 | Semey | 328,000 | 326,000 | +0.61% | Abay Region (semi-regional center) |
Cities Ranked 11-30
| Rank | City | Population 2026 | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Kyzylorda | 260,000 | Kyzylorda Region |
| 12 | Kostanay | 250,000 | Kostanay Region |
| 13 | Oral (Uralsk) | 238,000 | West Kazakhstan |
| 14 | Petropavl | 229,000 | North Kazakhstan |
| 15 | Aktau | 191,000 | Mangystau Region |
| 16 | Temirtau | 177,000 | Karagandy Region |
| 17 | Turkestan | 165,000 | Turkestan Region (UNESCO city) |
| 18 | Zhanaozen | 160,000 | Mangystau Region |
| 19 | Taldykorgan | 151,000 | Almaty Region (admin center) |
| 20 | Ekibastuz | 151,000 | Pavlodar Region |
| 21 | Kokshetau | 145,000 | Akmola Region |
| 22 | Rudny | 121,000 | Kostanay Region |
| 23 | Kentau | 84,000 | Turkestan Region |
| 24 | Balkhash | 75,000 | Karagandy Region |
| 25 | Satpayev | 67,000 | Ulytau Region |
| 26 | Konayev (Kapchagay) | 60,000 | Almaty Region |
| 27 | Stepnogorsk | 60,000 | Akmola Region |
| 28 | Zhetisay | 49,000 | Turkestan Region |
| 29 | Kyzylzhar | 42,000 | North Kazakhstan |
| 30 | Khromtau | 29,000 | Aktobe Region |
Demographics by Region
Population on 1 January 2026 by region (top 10 by population):
| Region | Population 2026 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Almaty City (Almaty) | 2,197,000 | Slow growth |
| Turkestan Region | 2,200,000+ | Highest birth rate |
| Almaty Region | 2,200,000+ | Recovering after Almaty City separation |
| Karagandy Region | ~1,400,000 | Stable, industrial |
| Astana City | 1,426,000 | Fastest growth |
| Shymkent City | 1,244,000 | Fast growth |
| East Kazakhstan | ~750,000 | Slight decline |
| Mangystau Region | ~800,000 | Oil-driven growth |
| Aktobe Region | ~970,000 | Steady growth |
| Pavlodar Region | ~750,000 | Slight decline |
Major Demographic Trends 2025-2026
Astana growth surge
Astana grew +3.48% in one year (+48,000 people), the fastest among major cities. Drivers include:
- Continued government employee relocation
- Tech sector growth (Astana Hub residents)
- Russian relocant inflow (continued from 2022-2024 wave)
- New construction districts (EXPO area, Highvill, EuroAsia districts)
Shymkent acceleration
Shymkent crossed the 1.2 million mark in 2025-2026 with +2.22% growth. Causes: high birth rates in southern Kazakhstan, urban migration from Turkestan rural areas.
Mangystau oil-driven growth
Aktau (+2.69%) and Zhanaozen (+2.56%) growing fast due to oil sector employment and Caspian-region investment.
Northern population stabilization
Petropavl, Pavlodar, and Ust-Kamenogorsk show very low growth (0.6-0.9%) reflecting outmigration and aging demographics.
Interesting Demographic Facts
- Almaty’s growth is slowest among the three “millionaires” (+1.10%) due to natural urbanization saturation and high housing costs limiting in-migration
- Konayev (formerly Kapchagay) is the fastest-growing city by percent (+5.26%) due to its proximity to Almaty and active development as a satellite city
- Turkestan grew +3.13% boosted by 2018 designation as Turkestan Region’s center and major new infrastructure investment
- Kyzylzhar is a special administrative status: declared city in 2018, was previously a microdistrict of Petropavl
Cities by Founding Era
Kazakhstan cities reflect three major historical waves of urbanization:
| Era | Cities | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient/Medieval (pre-1500) | 4-5 ancient cities | Taraz (568 AD), Turkestan (490 AD), Otrar (8th century) |
| Russian Imperial (1700s-1900) | ~15 cities | Almaty (1854), Petropavl (1752), Pavlodar (1720), Semey (1718), Kostanay (1879) |
| Soviet industrial (1920s-1980s) | ~10 cities | Karaganda (1934), Temirtau (1934), Aktau (1963), Zhanaozen (1964), Ekibastuz (1948), Rudny (1957) |
| Post-independence (1991+) | New status grants | Astana renamed (1997), Turkestan Region center (2018), Kyzylzhar status (2018) |
Downloadable Dataset
📥 Download kazakhstan-cities-population-2026.csv (5 KB)
Schema (columns):
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
rank | Population rank in 2026 |
city, city_ru | City name (English/Russian) |
population_2026, population_2025 | Population on 1 January |
growth_pct | YoY growth percentage |
region | Kazakhstan region |
founded, city_status_year | Founding year and city-status year |
latitude, longitude | Coordinates (WGS84) |
License: Open access for journalistic, academic, business and commercial use with attribution.
Methodology and Verification
Data primarily compiled from:
- Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan (stat.gov.kz) population on 1 January 2026 publications
- Cross-referenced against stat.gov.kz regional overview
- Astana Times and Kursiv.kz coverage of demographic trends 2025-2026
- UN Statistics Division Kazakhstan country profile (UN DESA)
Update commitment: Annual refresh in February when stat.gov.kz publishes 1 January year-end populations.
Known limitations:
- Some smaller cities (population under 30,000) excluded from this top-30 list
- Internal-migration-driven changes in some cities may have lag in official statistics
- Three new cities created post-2018 (Turkestan, Kyzylzhar) had different counting methodologies before status
Sources
**Source cross-checks used for this dataset: Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan, World Population Review Kazakhstan** profile, Government of Kazakhstan portal.
Related guides
For planning context, use Cities in Kazakhstan, Almaty guide, Astana guide, Shymkent guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest city in Kazakhstan in 2026?
Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan in 2026 with population 2.20 million as of 1 January 2026 (Bureau of National Statistics). Almaty is the country's commercial capital, food and culture center, located in southeast Kazakhstan at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains. It grew +1.10% year-over-year and remains the most populous city despite Astana being the political capital.
What is the population of Astana in 2026?
Astana population in 2026 is 1,426,000 as of 1 January 2026 (Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan). Astana grew +3.48% year-over-year, making it the fastest-growing major Kazakh city. Growth is driven by continued government employee relocation, Astana Hub tech sector development, Russian relocants, and new residential district construction.
How many cities in Kazakhstan have over 1 million population?
Kazakhstan has 3 cities with population over 1 million in 2026: Almaty (2.20M), Astana (1.43M), and Shymkent (1.24M). All three hold special administrative status as 'cities of national significance' (cities of republican subordination), reporting directly to central government rather than to a regional administration. Shymkent crossed the 1 million threshold in 2018.
What is the total population of Kazakhstan?
Total population of Kazakhstan on 1 January 2026 was 20,495,975, an increase of 212,000 from 2025 (+1.04%). Urban population is 13,029,803 (63.6%) and rural population is 7,466,172 (36.4%). Population reached 20 million in 2024 and is projected to exceed 21 million by 2030 based on current growth trajectory.
What is the fastest-growing city in Kazakhstan?
By percentage growth among major cities, Konayev (formerly Kapchagay, satellite to Almaty) grew +5.26% in 2025-2026. Among major regional centers, Astana grew +3.48% (highest among cities over 1 million), followed by Turkestan +3.13% (regional center growth), Atyrau +2.79% (oil-sector growth), and Aktau +2.69% (Caspian region investment). Among the largest three cities, Astana is the fastest-growing.
Where can I download Kazakhstan cities population data as CSV?
A complete CSV dataset of the top 30 Kazakhstan cities with 2025 and 2026 populations, growth rates, regions, founding years, and coordinates is available at about-kazakhstan.com/datasets/kazakhstan-cities-population-2026.csv. Open access with attribution. Compiled from Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan, verified April 2026.
Last verified: 27 April 2026. Primary source: Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan. Annual refresh in February.
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Travel Writer & Local Expert · Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tugelbay Konabayev is a Kazakhstan-based travel writer who has lived in Almaty for 7+ years and Astana for 4+ years. He grew up in Aktobe, Kazakhstan and has covered Kazakh travel, food, culture, and visa policy with first-hand reporting since 2023.