Astana is is the capital city of Kazakhstan and the city of national significance.
Population: 1,136,008.
The settlement was founded in 1830 as Akmoly. During the Soviet era on 20 March 1961, it was renamed Tselinograd. On 6 May 1998, it was renamed Astana, which means “capital city” in Kazakh.
Kostanay is the administrative center of the Kostanay Region.
Population: 225,552.
Kostanay was founded by Russian settlers in 1879 and named Nikolaevsk, in honor of Tsar Nicholas II.
In 1893, Kustanay was granted city status. The Red Army took control in 1918 and changed the city’s name to Kustanay. The Kustanay Region was established in 1936 with its administrative center in Kustanay. Six years after fall of Soviet Union, Kazakhstan renamed it to Kostanay.
Kokshetau is located in the northern part of the country, on the southern shore of the large semi-fresh lake Kopa.
Population: 146,104.
The territory of Kokshetau was part of the territory of the middle Zhuz of the Kazakhs and was located in the northern part of the Kazakh Khanate. Kokshetau was founded on April 29, 1824 by a Siberian Cossack and a graduate of the Omsk Cossack military School Kazachinin Mikhail Ivanovich (Ioannovich) as a military fortification of Kokchetav.
Pavlodar is a city located in north-eastern Kazakhstan.
Population: 386,594.
The city was founded in 1720 under the name of Koryakovsky outpost on the Irtysh line of Russian military fortifications.
Petropavlovsk is a city in the north of Kazakhstan, the administrative center of the North Kazakhstan region.
Population: 219,231.
Petropavlovsk was founded in the summer of 1752 as a military fortress of St. Peter and is located on the site of the Kyzyl-zhar tract, on the right bank of the Ishim River.
