Kazakhstan covers a large part of Central Asia, with cities and settlements spread across broad steppe, desert, mountain, and river regions. Its first-level administrative structure consists of 17 regions and 3 cities of republican significance. Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent are administered at the same first level as the regions.
Kazakhstan Administrative Structure in 2026
The administrative counts are dated January 1, 2026. Population figures on this page are estimates dated June 1, 2026. Stating both dates separates changes in administrative status from changes in population.
Regions and Republican-Significance Cities
The table includes all 17 regions and the three cities administered at the same first level. Regional populations include every city, town, and rural settlement within the region. Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent are listed separately because they do not form part of the surrounding regions for first-level statistical reporting.
| Region or City | Administrative Center | Map Zone | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abay Region | Semey | East | 593,583 |
| Akmola Region | Kokshetau | North / Central | 792,323 |
| Aktobe Region | Aktobe | West | 957,753 |
| Almaty Region | Konaev | Southeast | 1,611,588 |
| Atyrau Region | Atyrau | West | 718,250 |
| East Kazakhstan Region | Oskemen | East | 716,979 |
| Zhambyl Region | Taraz | South | 1,213,556 |
| Zhetisu Region | Taldykorgan | Southeast | 685,517 |
| Karaganda Region | Karaganda | Central | 1,130,733 |
| Kostanay Region | Kostanay | North | 819,999 |
| Kyzylorda Region | Kyzylorda | South | 846,351 |
| Mangystau Region | Aktau | West | 824,267 |
| North Kazakhstan Region | Petropavl | North | 512,388 |
| Pavlodar Region | Pavlodar | Northeast | 743,640 |
| Turkistan Region | Turkistan | South | 2,146,670 |
| Ulytau Region | Zhezkazgan | Central | 218,169 |
| West Kazakhstan Region | Oral | West | 694,869 |
| Astana City | Astana | North / Central | 1,674,699 |
| Almaty City | Almaty | Southeast | 2,366,525 |
| Shymkent City | Shymkent | South | 1,308,120 |
Almaty City is the country’s largest first-level urban unit by population. Turkistan is the most populous region, while Ulytau has the smallest regional population. These figures are dated estimates rather than permanent size categories and should be updated when a newer official release becomes available.
Cities Commonly Shown on National Maps
National maps normally give the strongest labels to the three republican-significance cities and to regional administrative centers. Population, administrative status, transport connections, and distance from nearby settlements all affect label visibility.
- Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest city and the main urban reference point in the southeast.
- Astana is the national capital and a separate first-level administrative unit within the north-central part of the country.
- Shymkent is a republican-significance city in southern Kazakhstan, separate from Turkistan Region.
- Karaganda is the administrative center of Karaganda Region and a major settlement in central Kazakhstan.
- Aktobe is the center of Aktobe Region and one of the strongest city labels in western Kazakhstan.
- Taraz, Pavlodar, Oskemen, and Semey are regional centers commonly shown on administrative, road, and railway maps.
- Aktau and Atyrau are major western reference points near the Caspian Sea and associated transport corridors.
Districts, Cities, and Other Settlements
As of January 1, 2026, Kazakhstan’s official administrative count includes 195 districts and 90 cities. The 90-city total includes Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent as cities of republican significance, together with cities administered at regional and district levels.
Administrative Labels
- Regional center identifies the main administrative city of a region.
- District center identifies the settlement from which a district is administered.
- City may be classified at republican, regional, or district level.
- Village and rural settlement labels usually appear on detailed regional or local maps.
Spatial Relationships
- A district generally contains towns, villages, and rural territory within a region.
- A regional center may also form its own urban administrative area.
- Astana is geographically surrounded by Akmola Region but is administered separately.
- Almaty City is separate from Almaty Region, whose administrative center is Konaev.
- Shymkent is separate from Turkistan Region, whose administrative center is Turkistan.
Place Name Spellings on Kazakhstan Maps
The same place may appear with different Latin spellings because Kazakh and Russian names are transliterated by several systems. Administrative location and nearby settlements are more reliable identifiers than one spelling alone.
- Konaev may also appear as Qonaev.
- Oskemen may appear as Öskemen or Ust-Kamenogorsk on older and Russian-language maps.
- Zhetisu may also appear as Jetisu.
- Zhambyl may also appear as Jambyl.
- Oral may appear as Uralsk on some older maps.
- Semey may appear as Semipalatinsk in historical sources.
Map Scale and Label Visibility
Settlement labels change with map scale. Administrative centers remain visible at wider scales, while district centers and villages appear as the map displays more local detail.
| Map Scale | Typical Coverage | Labels Usually Visible |
|---|---|---|
| 1:10,000 to 1:50,000 | City and local detail | Neighborhoods, street grids, local landmarks, villages, and nearby towns |
| 1:200,000 to 1:500,000 | Regional detail | District centers, highways, rivers, cities, and many towns |
| 1:1,000,000 and smaller | National coverage | Republican-significance cities, regional centers, major transport corridors, and selected secondary cities |
Administrative Role and Map Prominence
A place name may receive a larger map label because of its administrative role even when its population is lower than that of another city. Map prominence should not be treated as a population ranking.
- Republican-significance cities are separate first-level units and normally remain visible on national maps.
- Regional centers are normally the strongest labels inside each region.
- Regional and industrial cities may appear prominently because of transport, mining, manufacturing, or service functions.
- District centers usually become visible on regional maps.
- Villages and rural settlements normally require closer map scales.
Regional Centers and Nearby City Labels
Each region has an administrative center that serves as a stable map reference. Nearby city labels vary according to scale, settlement density, and the type of map being viewed.
| Region or City Area | Administrative Center or Core City | Map Context |
|---|---|---|
| Abay Region | Semey | Eastern region formed in 2022; Ayagoz is another commonly shown city |
| Akmola Region | Kokshetau | Astana lies within the broader geographic area but is administered separately |
| Aktobe Region | Aktobe | Large western region with settlements spaced along road and railway corridors |
| Almaty Region | Konaev | Almaty City is a separate first-level unit south of the region’s central areas |
| Atyrau Region | Atyrau | Settlements follow the Ural River, Caspian coast, and energy corridors |
| East Kazakhstan Region | Oskemen | Mountain, river, border, and industrial city labels appear on regional maps |
| Zhambyl Region | Taraz | Southern settlements follow major roads and agricultural corridors |
| Zhetisu Region | Taldykorgan | Eastern and southeastern settlements are shaped by mountain and lake geography |
| Karaganda Region | Karaganda | Central mining and transport centers remain visible at medium scales |
| Kostanay Region | Kostanay | Northern agricultural and border-area settlements appear on regional maps |
| Kyzylorda Region | Kyzylorda | Many settlements follow the Syr Darya corridor |
| Mangystau Region | Aktau | Caspian coastal settlements and inland energy centers appear on thematic maps |
| North Kazakhstan Region | Petropavl | Northern district centers become clearer at closer scales |
| Pavlodar Region | Pavlodar | Ekibastuz and Aksu are commonly shown with the regional center |
| Turkistan Region | Turkistan | Shymkent is nearby but forms a separate first-level city unit |
| Ulytau Region | Zhezkazgan | Sparsely populated central territory formed as a separate region in 2022 |
| West Kazakhstan Region | Oral | Western settlements follow river, road, and border corridors |
| Astana City | Astana | National capital and separate first-level administrative unit |
| Almaty City | Almaty | Largest city and separate first-level administrative unit |
| Shymkent City | Shymkent | Southern republican-significance city separate from Turkistan Region |
Administrative Terms Used on Maps
- Region is a first-level administrative area. Some English and older maps use the word oblast.
- District is an administrative subdivision that groups settlements and rural territory.
- City of republican significance is a major city administered at the same first level as a region.
- City of regional significance is an urban center administered under a regional government.
- City of district significance is an urban settlement administered within a district.
- Regional center is the main administrative city of a region.
Data date: Population values are official estimates for June 1, 2026. Administrative totals are dated January 1, 2026. Later statistical releases may change population totals without changing the number of first-level units, districts, or cities.