Regions of Kazakhstan
| Regions of Kazakhstan Қазақстан облыстары (Kazakh) Области Казахстана (Russian) | |
|---|---|
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| Category | Unitary state |
| Location | Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Number | 17 regions and 4 cities (Almaty, Astana, Baikonur and Shymkent) |
| Populations | 36,175 (Baikonur) – 2,685,009 (Turkistan) |
| Areas | 680 km2 (263 sq mi) (Almaty) – 300,630 km2 (116,074 sq mi) (Aktobe) |
| Government |
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| Subdivisions | |
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.
The regions are also referred to as oblasts, which were one of the second-level subdivisions of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. After gaining independence in 1991, there were 17 regions as of 1989.
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.