Quick facts
Shymkent overview
Shymkent (orange) and the other large cities of Kazakhstan
Shymkent lies in Kazakhstan at 42.31°N, 69.6°E, about 520 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Almaty (UTC+5); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Astana (1,544,142) and larger than Aktobe (500,757). The largest city in Kazakhstan is Almaty with 1,977,011 people; the capital, Astana, has 1,544,142.
The national capital, Astana, is about 996 km away; the nearest large city is Turkistan, 155 km from Shymkent.
Kazakhstan as a whole has a live population of 21,153,677 (+1.1% a year) and ranks #65 of 238 countries — see the Kazakhstan population page for the full statistics and the Kazakhstan atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Shymkent
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Turkistan Turkistan | 155 km | 227,098 |
| Taraz Zhambyl | 159 km | 358,153 |
Largest cities in Kazakhstan
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Shymkent?
Shymkent has about 1,200,000 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Shymkent the capital of Kazakhstan?
No. The capital of Kazakhstan is Astana (1,544,142 people), about 996 km away. Shymkent is the 3rd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Shymkent compared with the rest of Kazakhstan?
Its 1,200,000 residents are 5.7% of the 21,153,677 people living in Kazakhstan today. Almaty is larger with 1,977,011 people.
Where is Shymkent?
In Kazakhstan, at latitude 42.31 and longitude 69.6, 520 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Turkistan (155 km), Taraz (159 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Shymkent Population 2026 — Kazakhstan. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/kazakhstan/shymkent/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/kazakhstan/shymkent/">Shymkent Population 2026 — Kazakhstan</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.