Astana in the context of "Akorda Residence"

Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbekistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest, with a coastline along the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Astana, while the largest city and leading cultural and commercial hub is Almaty (which had been the capital city until 1997).

Kazakhstan is the world's ninth-largest country by land area and the largest landlocked country. Hilly plateaus and plains account for nearly half its vast territory, with lowlands composing another third; its southern and eastern frontiers are composed of mountainous regions. Kazakhstan has a population of 20 million and one of the lowest population densities in the world, with fewer than 6 people per square kilometre (16 people/sq mi). Ethnic Kazakhs constitute a majority, while ethnic Russians form a significant minority. Officially secular, Kazakhstan is a Muslim-majority country with a sizeable Christian community.

Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains in southern Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, Almaty stands as a pivotal center of culture, commerce, finance and innovation. The city is nestled at an elevation of 700–900 metres (2,300–3,000 feet), with the Big Almaty and Small Almaty rivers running through it, originating from the surrounding mountains and flowing into the plains. Almaty is the second-largest city in Central Asia and the fourth-largest in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Almaty served as the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1991 during the Soviet era and after independence from 1991 until the capital was relocated to Akmola (now Astana) in 1997. Despite no longer being the capital, Almaty remains the most cosmopolitan and influential city in Kazakhstan, often regarded as the nation's cultural and financial heart, and is colloquially referred to as the "Southern Capital". It is classified as a city of republican significance, granting it autonomy from regional governance. The city is divided into eight administrative districts within the framework of its republican significance.

Kazakhstan is divided into 17 regions and 4 cities. The regions are further subdivided into districts. The four cities, Almaty, Baikonur, Shymkent, and the capital city Astana, do not belong to their surrounding regions.

Initially there were 14 regions. On 16 March 2022, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that three new regions would be created. Abai Region was created from East Kazakhstan Region with its capital in Semey. Ulytau Region was created from Karaganda Region with its capital in Jezkazgan. Jetisu Region was created from Almaty Region with its capital in Taldykorgan; Almaty Region's capital was moved from Taldykorgan to Qonayev.

GAZ (Gorkovsky avtomobilny zavod, Russian: ГАЗ, Го́рьковский автомоби́льный заво́д, lit. 'Gorky Automobile Plant') is a Russian automotive manufacturer located in Nizhny Novgorod, formerly known as Gorky (Горький) (1932–1990). It is the core subsidiary of GAZ Group Holding, which is itself part of Basic Element industrial group. JSC Russian Machines is the controlling shareholder in OAO GAZ.

This is a list of all cities and settlements in Kazakhstan with a population of at least fifty thousand people as of official population estimates in 2023. The three largest cities are Almaty, Astana (the national capital), and Shymkent; as cities of republican significance, they are administratively independent and belong to no region. Two of the listed settlements, Zashagan and Beyneu, are officially designated as villages rather than cities.

A city of republican significance (Kazakh: республикалық маңызы бар қала, romanized: respublikalyq mañyzy bar qala; Russian: город республиканского значения, romanized: gorod respublikanskogo znacheniya) is a special category of administrative-territorial unit in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Such a city is granted first-level administrative division, equal to that of an region (oblys) and is directly subordinate to the central government rather than to a regional authority.

As of 2025, Kazakhstan has three cities of republican significance: Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent.

The Ishim (Russian: Ишим, IPA: [ɪˈʂɨm]; Kazakh: Есіл, romanized: Esıl, IPA: [jesɪ́l]) is a river running through Kazakhstan and Russia. It is 2,450 kilometres (1,520 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 177,000 square kilometres (68,000 sq mi). Its average discharge is 56.3 cubic metres per second (1,990 cu ft/s). It is a left tributary of the Irtysh. The Ishim is partly navigable in its lower reaches. The upper course of the Ishim passes through Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. In Russia, the course of the river travels through a vast marshland, and has countless meanders and oxbow lakes. The river freezes from late November until March.

Akmola Region is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. It was known as Tselinograd Oblast during Soviet rule. Its capital is Kökşetau. The national capital, Astana, is enclosed by the region, but is politically separate from Aqmola Region. The region's population is 715,000; Kökşetau's is 157,000.

Some gold and coal mining occur in the area.