Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

Lake Kopa Lake Kopa ( kk, Қопа, ; ) is a lake in the city of Kokshetau, located on the territory of Akmola Region close to the foot of Kazakh Uplands, Kokshetau Elevation in the northern part of Kazakhstan. Its elevation is above sea level and has a max ...

Kokshetau Hills The Kokshetau Hills ( kk, Көкшетау қыраты; russian: Кокшетауская возвышенность) is a system of mountains of moderate altitude in the North Kazakhstan Region and Akmola Region, Kazakhstan.Saryarka) and the southern edge of the

Ishim Plain Ishim Steppe (russian: Ишимская равнина, kk, Есіл даласы, ''Yesil dalasy'') is a plain in the southern part of Western Siberia, between the Irtysh and Tobol rivers. Administratively it is part of Kurgan, Tyumen, and Omsk ...

. It is named after the

Mount Kokshe Mount Kokshe, also known as Kokshetau or Kokshe-Tau ( kk, Көкше-тау; , russian: Кокше-тау, гора́ Синю́ха, Gora Sinyukha, Literal translation, lit. 'blueish mountain') is a mountain in the Kokshetau Massif, Akmola Reg ...

. Earlier, it was the administrative center of Kokshetau Region, which was abolished in 1997. It is also situated at the junction of the Trans-Kazakhstan and South Siberian railways. Kokshetau lies at an elevation of approximately

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

. It has 150,649 inhabitants (2022 est.), up from 123,389 (1999 census), while

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

had a total population of 738,587 (2019 est.), down from 1,061,820 ( 1989 census), making it the tenth most populous region in Kazakhstan. The city's history has been influenced by people of many nations and religions. Kokshetau retains multiethnic population, with 59% ethnic

Kazakhs The Kazakhs (also spelled Qazaqs; Kazakh: , , , , , ; the English name is transliterated from Russian; russian: казахи) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to northern parts of Central Asia, chiefly Kazakhstan, but also parts o ...

(up from 36%), the rest being mostly 28% ethnic

Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...

(down from 42%) and other ethnic groups such as

Ukrainians Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian. The majority ...

,

Tatars The Tatars ()Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different

and

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

. Kokshetau City Administration (area of ), with a population of roughly 165,153 residents, includes one settlement administration (which consists of the work settlement of Stantsyonny) and the Krasnoyarsk rural district, which includes two rural settlements (the villages of Krasny Yar and Kyzyl Zhuldyz). The city is considered to have been founded in 1824 as a military fortress, while it was granted city status in 1895. It was the centre of Kokshetau Region, which was abolished in 1997. It is well known for its nature and tourist sites, such as Burabay and

Zerendi Zerendi ( kk, Зеренді, ''Zerendı'') is a small town in northern-central Kazakhstan, located 45 kilometres from Kokshetau. It is the seat of Zerendi District in Aqmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola ...

, among others. Kokshetau is about from Petropavlovsk, northwest of the national capital

Astana Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmo ...

along the A1, from

Omsk Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...

along the A13, and from

Kostanay Kostanay ( kz, Қостанай, Qostanai ) is a city located on the Tobol River in northern Kazakhstan. It was known as Nikolayevsk (russian: Николаевск) until 1895 and then as Kustanay (russian: Кустанай) until 1997. Kostanay ...

. The city is served by

Kokshetau Airport Kokshetau (meaning ''Blueish Mountain'' in Kazakh, kz, Көкшетау, Kökşetau; ; rus, Кокшета́у, p=kokʂɛtaʊ) is a city in northern Kazakhstan and the capital of Akmola Region, which stretches along the southern shore of Lak ...

. Kokshetau is an important economic, educational, and cultural centre of the Akmola Region. Kokshetau was awarded the title Kazakhstan City of Culture for the year 2021.

Names and etymology

The name Kokshetau ( kk, Kökşetau; ) is of Kazakh origin literally meaning a (), ''kokshe'' / "", meaning () and ''tau'' / "", meaning () — the name of always turning blue, as if in a deep haze of mountains. That is how from ancient times

Kazakhs The Kazakhs (also spelled Qazaqs; Kazakh: , , , , , ; the English name is transliterated from Russian; russian: казахи) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to northern parts of Central Asia, chiefly Kazakhstan, but also parts o ...

were calling the highest mountain in

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

"

Mount Kokshe Mount Kokshe, also known as Kokshetau or Kokshe-Tau ( kk, Көкше-тау; , russian: Кокше-тау, гора́ Синю́ха, Gora Sinyukha, Literal translation, lit. 'blueish mountain') is a mountain in the Kokshetau Massif, Akmola Reg ...

" (947 m), located 60 miles away from the city. Following the

collapse of the Soviet Union The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...

and independence of Kazakhstan, on 7 October 1993, by the Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the city of ''Kokchetav'' ( rus, Кокчета́в, p=koktɕɪˈtav) was renamed to the more Kazakh sounding ''Kokshetau'' as part of the government's campaign to apply Kazakh names to cities, but the city's airport still retains KOV as its

IATA code IATA codes are abbreviations that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) publishes to facilitate air travel. They are typically 1, 2, 3, or 4 character combinations (referred to as unigrams, digrams, trigrams, or tetragrams, respecti ...

.

Physical geography and geology

Location

The city lies in the northern portion of

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

. Kokshetau is located on the border of the

West Siberian Plain The West Siberian Plain (russian: За́падно-Сиби́рская равни́на ''Zapadno-Sibirskaya ravnina'') is a large plain that occupies the western portion of Siberia, between the Ural Mountains in the west and the Yenisei River ...

, on the southeastern shore of

Lake Kopa Lake Kopa ( kk, Қопа, ; ) is a lake in the city of Kokshetau, located on the territory of Akmola Region close to the foot of Kazakh Uplands, Kokshetau Elevation in the northern part of Kazakhstan. Its elevation is above sea level and has a max ...

, at an altitude of 234 meters above sea level, in the north of the

Kokshetau Hills The Kokshetau Hills ( kk, Көкшетау қыраты; russian: Кокшетауская возвышенность) is a system of mountains of moderate altitude in the North Kazakhstan Region and Akmola Region, Kazakhstan.Astana Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmo ...

. There are numerous hills in the vicinity of the city (

Bukpa Hill Bukpa ( kk, Buqpa; ) is a hill that rises in the north-western area of Kokshetau, the capital of Akmola Region in the northern part of Kazakhstan. It is open to the public and provides excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond, including ...

). The city is located in the flat part of the

interfluve An interfluve is a narrow, elongated and plateau-like or ridge-like landform between two valleys.Leser, Hartmut, ed. (2005). ''Wörterbuch Allgemeine Geographie'', 13th ed., dtv, Munich, p. 766, . More generally, an interfluve is defined as an ar ...

of the

Kylshakty The Kylshakty ( kk, Қылшақты, ''Qylşaqty'') is a river in Northern Kazakhstan that flows through the Akmola Region in Central Kazakhstan. It is long and has a drainage basin spanning . Geography The river starts in the Kokshetau Ma ...

river, flowing in the eastern part of the city, and the

Shagalaly The Shagalaly ( kk, Шағалалы, ''Şağalaly''), formerly known as Chaglinka, is a river of northern Kazakhstan. It is long, and has a drainage basin of . The river flows through the territory of Akmola Region, Akmola and North Kazakhstan ...

river, flowing from the western side of the city. The city has several parks and gardens. Also, within the city limits can be found small forests, mostly consisting of birches and pine plantations. The Kokshetau area is known for its two national parks, Burabay and

Kokshetau Kokshetau (meaning ''Blueish Mountain'' in Kazakh, kz, Көкшетау, Kökşetau; ; rus, Кокшета́у, p=kokʂɛtaʊ) is a city in northern Kazakhstan and the capital of Akmola Region, which stretches along the southern shore of Lak ...

.

Time

The

time offset The UTC offset is the difference in hours and minutes between Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and local solar time, at a particular place. This difference is expressed with respect to UTC and is generally shown in the format , , or . So if the tim ...

from the UTC used by Kokshetau is 6 hours after UTC, or UTC+6:00 (ALMT). This is also used by most of

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

. This time apply throughout the year as

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

does not observe

Daylight saving time Daylight saving time (DST), also referred to as daylight savings time or simply daylight time (United States, Canada, and Australia), and summer time (United Kingdom, European Union, and others), is the practice of advancing clocks (typicall ...

(DST).

Administrative districts and microdistricts

Kokshetau is divided into seven administrative districts. * Bukpa * Kokshe * Bostandyk * Sary-Arka * Beybitshilik * Aul * Zhaylau Kokshetau is divided into seventeen administrative microdistricts. * City Centre * Barmashino * Abylai Khan Avenue * Regional hospital * Birlik * Sary-Arka * Sunkar * Koktem * Vasilkov * Town of builders * Railway station * Jubilee * Khassenov market * Central * Zhaylau * Shanghai

Administrative-Territorial Division

Kokshetau_(city_administration),_Kazakhstan

Kokshetau is the capital of the

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

. Kokshetau city administration ( kk, Kökşetau qalasy äkımdıgı, russian: Городская администрация Кокшетау) (area of ), with a population of roughly 165 153 residents, includes one settlement administration and the Krasnoyarsk rural district, which includes two rural settlements.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

, Kokshetau lies in a

cold semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

zone (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

: ''

BSk BSK is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to: Sports * OFK Beograd, Serbian football club * FK BSK Borča, Serbian football club * FK BSK Batajnica, Serbian football club * FK BSK Banja Luka, Bosnian-Herzegovinian football club * FK BSK L ...

'') with extreme continental influences. The city has an extreme continental climate with long, very cold, frigid, snowy, dry winters and warm, dry, sunny summers (featuring occasional brief rain showers). Winter is frosty and long (more than 5 months). In spring, prevails clear and dry weather, with a large number of sunny days. Autumn begins in August or September, and the weather is observed from clear at the beginning of the season, to cloudy in October–November. The average annual temperature in Kokshetau is . Summer temperatures occasionally reach 35 °C (95 °F) while −30 to −35 °C (−22 to −31 °F) is not unusual between mid-December and early March. The warmest month is July with daily mean temperature near , and the coldest month is January, with a daily mean of . Snow and ice are dominant during the winter season. July is the wettest month (averaging of precipitation) while March is the driest (averaging of precipitation). Yearly

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...

amounts to . Typically, the city's

Lake Kopa Lake Kopa ( kk, Қопа, ; ) is a lake in the city of Kokshetau, located on the territory of Akmola Region close to the foot of Kazakh Uplands, Kokshetau Elevation in the northern part of Kazakhstan. Its elevation is above sea level and has a max ...

and rivers of

Kylshakty The Kylshakty ( kk, Қылшақты, ''Qylşaqty'') is a river in Northern Kazakhstan that flows through the Akmola Region in Central Kazakhstan. It is long and has a drainage basin spanning . Geography The river starts in the Kokshetau Ma ...

and

Shagalaly The Shagalaly ( kk, Шағалалы, ''Şağalaly''), formerly known as Chaglinka, is a river of northern Kazakhstan. It is long, and has a drainage basin of . The river flows through the territory of Akmola Region, Akmola and North Kazakhstan ...

are frozen over between the second week of November and the beginning of April. ;Nearby places The village of Krasny Yar lies adjoined directly to the west of Kokshetau, on the bank of the River Shagalaly. Also contiguous with Kokshetau, directly to the east, with no natural border, is the smaller village of Stantsyonny. Nearby cities *

Petropavl Petropavl ( kk, Петропавл, Petropavl ) or Petropavlovsk () is a city on the Ishim River in northern Kazakhstan close to the border with Russia. It is the capital of the North Kazakhstan Region. Population: 218,956. The city is also kno ...

*

Astana Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmo ...

*

Ekibastuz Ekibastuz ( kk, Екібастұз, translit=Ekıbastūz, , ەكئباستۇز; russian: Экибастуз) is a city in Pavlodar Region, northeastern Kazakhstan. The population was Ekibastuz is served by Ekibastuz Airport. History The history ...

*

Omsk Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...

(Russia) *

Kostanay Kostanay ( kz, Қостанай, Qostanai ) is a city located on the Tobol River in northern Kazakhstan. It was known as Nikolayevsk (russian: Николаевск) until 1895 and then as Kustanay (russian: Кустанай) until 1997. Kostanay ...

* Rudny *

Karaganda Karaganda or Qaraghandy ( kk, Қарағанды/Qarağandy, ; russian: Караганда, ) is the capital of Karaganda Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, fourth most populous city in Kaza ...

*

Kurgan A kurgan is a type of tumulus constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons and horses. Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into much of Central Asi ...

(Russia) *

Tyumen Tyumen ( ; rus, Тюмень, p=tʲʉˈmʲenʲ, a=Ru-Tyumen.ogg) is the administrative center and largest city of Tyumen Oblast, Russia. It is situated just east of the Ural Mountains, along the Tura River. Fueled by the Russian oil and gas indu ...

Nearby towns *

Atbasar Atbasar ( kk, Атбасар, ''Atbasar'') is a town in Aqmola Region of the northern Kazakhstan. It was founded in 1845. Atbasar is the 44th biggest city in Kazakhstan. Atbasar lies at an altitude of 282 meters above sea level. Population: Cli ...

*

Arkalyk Arkalyk ( kz, Arqalyq; cyrl, Арқалық, russian: Аркалык) is a city in Kostanay Region, northern Kazakhstan. Earlier, it was the centre of Torgay Region, which was abolished in 1997. Today, it is the administrative centre of Torgay Di ...

* Tara (Russia) *

Taiynsha Taiynsha ( kk, Тайынша, ''Taiynşa''), known as Krasnoarmeysk between 1962 and 1997, is a city and the administrative center of Taiynsha District in North Kazakhstan Region of Kazakhstan (KATO code - 596020100). Population: Geography Tai ...

*

Akkol Akkol ( kz, Ақкөл, ''Aqköl'', zh, 阿科尔), formerly known as ''Alexeyevka'' (russian: italic=yes, Алексеевка, until 1997), is a town in northern Kazakhstan. It is located north of the national capital Nur-Sultan along the hig ...

* Derzhavinsk *

Ereymentau Ereymentau ( kk, Ерейментау, ''Ereimentau''; russian: Ерейментау) is a town in northern-central Kazakhstan. It is the seat of Ereymentau District in Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola ...

*

Esil Esil ( kk, Есіл, ''Esıl''; russian: Есиль) is a town in northern-central Kazakhstan. It is the seat of Esil District in Aqmola Region. It is located on the right bank of the Ishim River The Ishim (russian: Иши́м, Ishim; kk, Е ...

* Ishim (Russia) *

Makinsk Makinsk ( kk, Макинск, ''Makinsk''; russian: Макинск) is a town in northern-central Kazakhstan. It is the administrative center of Bulandy District in Aqmola Region. Population: Geography Makinsk is located in the Kokshetau Hills ...

*

Shchuchinsk Shchuchinsk ( kz, Щучинск, ''Şuchinsk''; russian: Щучинск, ) is a city in northern-central Kazakhstan, located 75 kilometres south-east of Kokshetau on Lake Shchuchye. It is the seat of Burabay District (form. Shchuchinsk District) ...

* Stepnyak *

Stepnogorsk Stepnogorsk ( kk, Степногорск, translit=Stepnogorsk; russian: Степногорск) is a town in Akmola Region, Kazakhstan. History Stepnogorsk was established in 1959, and has been a town since 1964. It is located about 200 km ...

Nearby villages * Krasny Yar * Stantsyonny * Kyzylzhulduz * Kyzyltan * Kaindy *

Akkol Akkol ( kz, Ақкөл, ''Aqköl'', zh, 阿科尔), formerly known as ''Alexeyevka'' (russian: italic=yes, Алексеевка, until 1997), is a town in northern Kazakhstan. It is located north of the national capital Nur-Sultan along the hig ...

(Zerendi District) *

Kishkenekol Kishkenekol ( kk, Кішкенекөл; russian: Кишкенеколь), known as Kyzyltu until 1997, is a village and the administrative center of Ualikhanov District, and the only settlement of Kishkenekol rural district North Kazakhstan Regio ...

* Astrakhanka *

Balkashino Balkashino ( kk, Балкашин, ''Balkaşin'') is a village in northern-central Kazakhstan. It is the seat of Sandyktau District in Aqmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинс ...

*

Shortandy Shortandy ( kk, Шортанды, ''Şortandy''), is a village in northern-central Kazakhstan. It is the seat of Shortandy District in Aqmola Region. References

Populated places in Akmola Region {{Kazakhstan-geo-stub ...

*

Zerendi Zerendi ( kk, Зеренді, ''Zerendı'') is a small town in northern-central Kazakhstan, located 45 kilometres from Kokshetau. It is the seat of Zerendi District in Aqmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola ...

*

Zhaksy Zhaksy ( kk, Жақсы, ''Jaqsy'') is a village in northern-central Kazakhstan. It is the seat of Zhaksy District in Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская обла� ...

History

Kokshetau has a rich centuries-old past, which has incorporated all the main stages and turning points of the

history of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, the largest country fully within the Eurasian Steppe, has been a historical crossroads and home to numerous different peoples, states and empires throughout history. Throughout history, peoples on the territory of modern Kazakhsta ...

. The territory of modern-day Kokshetau has seen the rise and fall of many cultures and empires. For many centuries, nomadic

Kazakh tribes A ''zhuz'' ( kz, ٴجۇز , Жүз, translit=Jüz, , also translated as " horde") is one of the three main territorial and tribal divisions in the Kypchak Plain area that covers much of the contemporary Kazakhstan. It represents the main tribal ...

lived on the territory of the former Kokshetau Region. The territory of Kokshetau was part of the

Middle Horde A ''zhuz'' ( kz, ٴجۇز , Жүз, translit=Jüz, , also translated as " horde") is one of the three main territorial and tribal divisions in the Kypchak Plain area that covers much of the contemporary Kazakhstan. It represents the main tribal d ...

, the clans of the tribal union of the

Argyn The Argyn ( kz, Арғын) tribe (or clan) is a constituent of the Kazakh ethnicity. The Argyn are a component, of the ''Orta jüz'' (Орта жүз; "Middle Horde" or "Middle Hundred"). Kazakhs historically consisted of three tribal federati ...

s that occupied vast regions of Northern and Central Kazakhstan. In the 18th – 19th centuries, the headquarters of famous

khans Khan may refer to: *Khan (inn), from Persian, a caravanserai or resting-place for a travelling caravan *Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name *Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by ...

, such as Abylai Khan,

Kasym Khan Qasim bin Janibek Khan (, romanized: ''Qasym bin Jänıbek Han''), known by his shortened regal name as Qasim Khan (also spelled as Kasym Khan) was a son of Janibek Khan. He ruled as the fourth Khan of the Kazakh Khanate from about 1511 to 15 ...

,

Kenesary Khan The Kazakh Khanate ( kk, Қазақ Хандығы, , ), in eastern sources known as Ulus of the Kazakhs, Ulus of Jochi, Yurt of Urus, was a Kazakh state in Central Asia, successor of the Golden Horde existing from the 15th to 19th century, ...

, were located on the land of Kokshetau Region. As Russia's hand stretched southwards, Kokshetau was initially founded on 29 April 1824 as an administrative outpost at the foot of the southern side of

Mount Kokshe Mount Kokshe, also known as Kokshetau or Kokshe-Tau ( kk, Көкше-тау; , russian: Кокше-тау, гора́ Синю́ха, Gora Sinyukha, Literal translation, lit. 'blueish mountain') is a mountain in the Kokshetau Massif, Akmola Reg ...

on the shores of

Lake Ulken Shabakty Lake Ulken Shabakty ( kz, Үлкен Шабақты, ''Ülken Şabaqty''; russian: Большое Чебачье) is a lake in the Burabay District, North Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan. Fishery on the lake is common. The lake lies by Burabay ...

. The Middle Horde signed treaties of protection with Russia. The local population strongly opposed the fact that the new settlement was placed in the chosen place. In the summer of 1827, the district order was transferred to the new place where the city of Kokshetau is now located. The settlement began to be called Kokchetav. The construction of the settlement began at the foot of

Bukpa Hill Bukpa ( kk, Buqpa; ) is a hill that rises in the north-western area of Kokshetau, the capital of Akmola Region in the northern part of Kazakhstan. It is open to the public and provides excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond, including ...

, on the southern shores of

Lake Kopa Lake Kopa ( kk, Қопа, ; ) is a lake in the city of Kokshetau, located on the territory of Akmola Region close to the foot of Kazakh Uplands, Kokshetau Elevation in the northern part of Kazakhstan. Its elevation is above sea level and has a max ...

, and a picket was set up to protect the district order.Map of Kazakhstan Akmolinskaya Oblast 1868 Sibir Kirgizy
/ref> By the middle of 19th-century, the population of the settlement was significantly increasing due to the migration of the

peasants A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...

from Russia (

Povolzhye The Volga Region (russian: Поволжье, ''Povolzhye'', literally: "along the Volga") is a historical region in Russia that encompasses the drainage basin of the Volga River, the longest river in Europe, in central and southern European Russ ...

) and Ukraine who were driven to migrate by starvation and poverty to farm the steppe. In 1868, when the Akmolinsk Oblast was formed, Kokshetau became a district city in this region, which further developed as a center of agricultural and animal husbandry and as a

resort town A resort town, often called a resort city or resort destination, is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding ...

. In 1876, the city lost its military significance. The line and fortress were abolished. In 1895, Kokshetau was granted

city status City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose. Historically, city status ...

. By that time the population in the town was above 5 thousand people. In 1928, Kokshetau District was divided into several boroughs and until 1944 Kokshetau's territory was part of

Karaganda Region Karaganda Region ( kk, Qarağandy oblysy; russian: Карагандинская область, translit=Karagandinskaja oblast′), also spelled Qaraghandy Region, is a region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Karaganda. On 17 March 2022 it was an ...

and later part of

North Kazakhstan Region North Kazakhstan Region ( kk, Солтүстік Қазақстан облысы, translit=Soltüstık Qazaqstan oblysy; russian: Северо-Казахстанская область, translit=Severo-Kazakhstanskaya oblast) is a Regions of Kazak ...

. On 16 March 1944, according to the Decree of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of

Kazakh SSR ; kk, Қазақ Советтік Социалистік Республикасы) *1991: Republic of Kazakhstan (russian: Республика Казахстан; kk, Қазақстан Республикасы) , linking_name = the ...

, Kokshetau became the administrative center of the newly created

Kokchetav Oblast Kokshetau Oblast ( kz, Көкшетау облысы, ''Kökşetaw oblısı'' ; rus, Кокшета́уская о́бласть, r=Kokshetauskaya oblast', p=kokʂɪˈtaʊskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ), was an administrative division (an ''oblast'') ...

. Relatively rapid growth and development of Kokshetau took place during the years of development of virgin lands, especially in the second half of the 1950s. In the spring of 1997, Kokshetau Oblast was abolished, the city was deprived of the status of a regional center. On 8 April 1999, after Akmola and

North Kazakhstan North Kazakhstan Region ( kk, Солтүстік Қазақстан облысы, translit=Soltüstık Qazaqstan oblysy; russian: Северо-Казахстанская область, translit=Severo-Kazakhstanskaya oblast) is a region of Kazakh ...

regions were reorganized, Kokshetau became the center of

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

. File:Kokshetau (Kokchetav) - 1890 (panoramic view, Aqmola Region, Kazakhstan).jpg, A 19th-century panorama view of Kokshetau as seen from the

Bukpa Hill Bukpa ( kk, Buqpa; ) is a hill that rises in the north-western area of Kokshetau, the capital of Akmola Region in the northern part of Kazakhstan. It is open to the public and provides excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond, including ...

Lookout. The

Lake Kopa Lake Kopa ( kk, Қопа, ; ) is a lake in the city of Kokshetau, located on the territory of Akmola Region close to the foot of Kazakh Uplands, Kokshetau Elevation in the northern part of Kazakhstan. Its elevation is above sea level and has a max ...

is visible to the left, and the St George's Church to the right. File:Akmola_Regional_Museum_of_History_and_Local_Lore_(Kokshetau,_Kazakhstan).jpg, One of the first stone constructions in the city (built in ; now regional museum of local lore) File:The_Shoqan_Shynghysuly_Walikhanov_monument_in_Kokshetau,_Kazakhstan,_1.jpg, A bronze statue of

Shoqan Walikhanov Shokan Shyngysuly Valikhanov ( kk, Шоқан Шыңғысұлы Уәлихан, russian: Чокан Чингисович Валиханов), given name Mukhammed Kanafiya ( kk, Мұхаммед Қанафия)Shoqan, his pen-name, later becam ...

by Tulegen Dosmagambetov in Kokshetau File:General_plan_of_the_Kokchetav_stanitsa,_19th_century.jpg, General plan of Kokchetav

stanitsa A stanitsa ( rus, станица, p=stɐˈnʲitsə; uk, станиця, stanytsya) is a village inside a Cossack host ( uk, військо, viys’ko; russian: казачье войско, kazach’ye voysko, sometimes translated as "Cossack Arm ...

, 19th century File:Map_of_Kokshetau_in_the_late_19th_century.jpg, Map of Kokchetav

uezd An uezd (also spelled uyezd; rus, уе́зд, p=ʊˈjest), or povit in a Ukrainian context ( uk, повіт), or Kreis in Baltic-German context, was a type of administrative subdivision of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Russian Empire, and the ea ...

in the late 19th century File:A_19th-century_view_of_Kokshetau,_Kazakhstan.jpg, A 19th-century view of the city File:Eukterion_in_Kokshetau.jpg, 1880:

Bukpa Hill Bukpa ( kk, Buqpa; ) is a hill that rises in the north-western area of Kokshetau, the capital of Akmola Region in the northern part of Kazakhstan. It is open to the public and provides excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond, including ...

in the background File:Market_Square_(late_19th_early_20th_century;_Kokshetau,_Kazakhstan).jpg, Market Square (late 19th early 20th century) File:Military_hospital_in_Kokshetau_(Kokchetav),_Kazakhstan.jpg, 1916: Military hospital in Kokchetav File:Kokchetav_1974-1975.jpg, 1975: The view of the central square File:House_of_the_Soviets_in_the_city_of_Kokchetav_(1978).jpg, 1978: House of the Soviets in the city of Kokchetav

Demographics

Kokshetau is the eighteenth-largest city in Kazakhstan. Kokshetau is an ethnically and culturally diverse city. Kokshetau ranks fourth in terms of population in Northern Kazakhstan, ranking after

Pavlodar Pavlodar ( ; ) is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan and the capital of Pavlodar Region. It is located 450 km northeast of the national capital Astana and 405 km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk along the Irtysh River. , the cit ...

,

Kostanay Kostanay ( kz, Қостанай, Qostanai ) is a city located on the Tobol River in northern Kazakhstan. It was known as Nikolayevsk (russian: Николаевск) until 1895 and then as Kustanay (russian: Кустанай) until 1997. Kostanay ...

and

Petropavl Petropavl ( kk, Петропавл, Petropavl ) or Petropavlovsk () is a city on the Ishim River in northern Kazakhstan close to the border with Russia. It is the capital of the North Kazakhstan Region. Population: 218,956. The city is also kno ...

. It has changed its demographics, nowadays having more ethnic

Kazakhs The Kazakhs (also spelled Qazaqs; Kazakh: , , , , , ; the English name is transliterated from Russian; russian: казахи) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to northern parts of Central Asia, chiefly Kazakhstan, but also parts o ...

in a city that formerly had a Slavic majority. It is the only regional center in Northern Kazakhstan where

Kazakhs The Kazakhs (also spelled Qazaqs; Kazakh: , , , , , ; the English name is transliterated from Russian; russian: казахи) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to northern parts of Central Asia, chiefly Kazakhstan, but also parts o ...

make up the majority. Despite Kokshetau's Kazakh majority,

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

is the dominant language in the city. It is also common to find the Kazakh being spoken in the city, mainly by Kazakhs and other Turkic people. Residents of Kokshetau are referred to as ''Kökşetaulyqtar'' in Kazakh and ''Kokshetautsy'' in

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

. Histogram of population evolution of Kokshetau from 1959. Note: 2020 and 2018 are population estimates; 1897 is the Russian Imperial Census;

1959 Events January * January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...

,

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of X (''Extrem ...

, Soviet Census (1979), 1979 and Soviet Census (1989), 1989 are the Soviet Census.

Ethnic and national composition

As of January 2022, the population of Kokshetau is 150,649, and the extended urbanized area has 165,153 inhabitants. Historically, Kokshetau was ethnically diverse. As of the 2020 Census, ethnic

Kazakhs The Kazakhs (also spelled Qazaqs; Kazakh: , , , , , ; the English name is transliterated from Russian; russian: казахи) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to northern parts of Central Asia, chiefly Kazakhstan, but also parts o ...

made up (~58%) of the city population, representing an increase from 36% in 1999. The ethnic makeup of the city's population as of year 2020 was: In 1989, Kokshetau had a population of 136,757. The ethnic mix was about 18.5% Kazakhs, Kazakh, 54.5% Russian and 27.0% other ethnic groups.

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

and Kazakh are both the main spoken languages.

Religion

The city's religious profile is highly diverse. Islam (primarily Sunni Islam) is the predominant religion within Kokshetau, with 56.65% of residents identifying as Muslims in the 2009 Census. There were 83,436 Muslims reported in the 2009 census. Kokshetau's first Mosque was established by Ablay (Abilkhair) Gabbas in 1846. Other religions practiced are Christianity in Kazakhstan, Christianity (primarily Eastern Orthodoxy in Kazakhstan, Russian Orthodox, Catholic Church in Kazakhstan, Roman Catholicism, and Christianity in Kazakhstan, Protestantism). Christianity is Kokshetau's second largest religion. There were 60,168 Christians reported in the 2009 census. Much of Kokshetau's civic life and civil society is secular in the sense that it has no religious character. Kokshetau has a mosque constructed in the beginning of the 20th century and a Eastern Orthodoxy in Kazakhstan, Russian Orthodox Church temple of Archangel Michael. The Kokshetau and Akmola diocese is located in the Church of the Resurrection, Kokshetau, Church of the Resurrection in the city. In 1997, a Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Kokshetau, Roman Catholic Church was built in neo-Gothic style using red bricks. A new Nauan Hazrat Mosque, mosque for 1,200 people named after Nauryzbay Talasov, Nauan Hazrat opened in 2015. Mosques: * Nauan Hazrat Mosque (capacity 1,200—1,400), located at the corner of Momishuly and Auelbekov streets. It is the largest mosque in Akmola Region. * Zhakiya Kazhi Mosque Russian Orthodox churches: * Church of the Resurrection, Kokshetau (capacity 1,500), (Russian Orthodox Church, ROC) * Church of the Holy Archangel Michael, Kokshetau, (Russian Orthodox Church, ROC) * St George's Church, Kokshetau. Kokshetau's first Christian Church. Catholic Church in Kazakhstan, Roman Catholic churches: * Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Kokshetau

Culture

Theatres

Kokshetau has a strong theater culture. * Akmola Regional Russian Drama Theater (opened in 1977), which also incorporates Palace of Culture * Akmola Regional Kazakh Music and Drama Theatre named after Shahhmet Kussainov (opened in 1996) * Children's puppet theater "Altyn Saka" (opened in 2022)

Philharmonic

* Akmola Regional Philharmonic named after Ükılı Ybyrai was founded in 1956.

Museums

There are about fife museums in Kokshetau. * Akmola Regional Museum of History and Local Lore (opened in 1920) * Kokshetau City History Museum (KCHM; opened as Valerian Kuybyshev, Valerian Kuibyshev’s Memorial Museum in 1949) * Museum of Mercy and Courage (opened in 1982) * Museum of Literature and Art (opened in 1989) * Museum of the Hero of the Soviet Union Malik Gabdullin (opened in 1993), located at the corner of Auelbekov and Nazarbayev streets, on the eastern side of the town centre.

Cinemas

The first film screening in the city of Kokchetav (now Kokshetau) took place in 1910. * Cinema Alem

Libraries

The city has 12 libraries. In addition to the libraries affiliated with the various universities and schools, the Akmola Regional Universal Scientific Library is a major research library. * Akmola Regional Universal Scientific Library (ARUSL) named after Magzhan Zhumabayev (opened in 1946)

Economy

Kokshetau has traditionally been an important commercial center in northern Kazakhstan, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union most of the old manufacturing lines either stopped working or had to greatly reduce their operations. Nevertheless, the city continues to be an important regional center for the

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

, acting as a commercial hub for the surrounding areas in the region. In recent years, the city has started attracting more investment from various corporations. Large industrial enterprises of Kokshetau include: gold mining enterprise JSC "Altyntau Kokshetau"; JSC "Tynys" – the production of medical products, weighing equipment, water meters, aircraft units and assemblies, polyethylene pipes; machine-building plant OJSC "KamAZ-Engineering"; JSC "Kokshetau Mineral Waters". Food factories supply Kokshetau and

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

with sausages, semi-finished meat products, bread, dairy products, and confectionery. The city also has a gold recovery factory and a new ceramic brick factory. From

Ekibastuz Ekibastuz ( kk, Екібастұз, translit=Ekıbastūz, , ەكئباستۇز; russian: Экибастуз) is a city in Pavlodar Region, northeastern Kazakhstan. The population was Ekibastuz is served by Ekibastuz Airport. History The history ...

to Kokshetau runs an overhead power line designed for a transmission voltage of 1,150 kV, the powerline Ekibastuz-Kokshetau, Ekibastuz-Kokshetau powerline.

Media

Kokshetau is the center of television and radio broadcasting in

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

. All major List of newspapers in Kazakhstan, Kazakhstani newspapers are active in Kokshetau. There are local TV stations, the Internet, and print media. The city has a developed telecommunications system.

Newspapers

Kokshetau's first newspaper was the weekly ''Tselinnyy kray'', established in 1920, which would change its name to the ''Akmolinskaya Pravda'' in 1992. In the city, there are some popular urban newspapers. ''Akmolinskaya Pravda'', ''Stepnoy mayak'' and ''Kokshetau'' are Russian-language media headquartered in the city. ''Akmolinskaya Pravda'' is the oldest newspaper of the city. * ''Regional socio-political newspaper "Akmolinskaya Pravda"'' is a long-running daily local paper, with local and regional coverage. * Republican newspaper "Bukpa" * Regional newspaper "Arka Azhary" * Regional newspaper "Stepnoy mayak"

TV and radio

Kokshetau television networks: * Local television news is covered by Qazaqstan (channel)#Regional channels, TV channel Kazakhstan–Kokshetau * Balapan (TV channel), Balapan * Cartoon Network (Russian & Southeastern European TV channel), Cartoon Network * Channel One Eurasia * Channel 31 (Kazakhstan), Channel 31 * Disney Channel (European TV channel), Disney Channel * Euronews * Gakku TV * Khabar 24 * MTV (Russian TV channel), MTV * Nickelodeon (Russian TV channel), Nickelodeon * Qazsport Kokshetau radio stations: * "Kazakh Radio": 101.0 FM * "Russkoye Radio, Russian Radio Asia": 102.0 FM * "AvtoRadio, Autoradio Kazakhstan": 102.5 FM * "Shalkar Radio": 103.7 FM * "Europa Plus, Europe Plus Kazakhstan": 104.2 FM * "NRJ Group, Energy FM": 104.8 FM * "Radio NS": 105.7 FM * "Zhuldyz FM": 106.1 FM * "Radio Dacha": 106.5 FM * "People's Radio": 107.0 FM * "Tengri FM": 107.6 FM

Internet media

*Kokshetau City Administration *Kokshetau - Kazakhstan *Aqmola News *Akmolinskaya Pravda

Transport

File:Kokshetau-1_Railway_Station-1992.jpg, Kokshetau-1 station, Kokshetau Railway Station, designed by V. Utebekov as viewed from vokzal alañy, 1992 File:Kokshetau-1 Railway Station - May 2021.jpg, The building of the Akmola branch of the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Kazakhstan Railways File:Kokshetau_airport.jpg, Terminal building and Airport apron, apron area of the

Kokshetau Airport Kokshetau (meaning ''Blueish Mountain'' in Kazakh, kz, Көкшетау, Kökşetau; ; rus, Кокшета́у, p=kokʂɛtaʊ) is a city in northern Kazakhstan and the capital of Akmola Region, which stretches along the southern shore of Lak ...

(International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA/ICAO airport code, ICAO: KOV/UACK) near

Akkol Akkol ( kz, Ақкөл, ''Aqköl'', zh, 阿科尔), formerly known as ''Alexeyevka'' (russian: italic=yes, Алексеевка, until 1997), is a town in northern Kazakhstan. It is located north of the national capital Nur-Sultan along the hig ...

File:Kokshetau_traffic_interchange_in_May_2016.jpg, A full cloverleaf interchange near Kokshetau File:MAZ_city_bus_(white)_in_Kokshetau,_Kazakhstan.jpg, alt=, A Kokshetau bus depot operating a service in Kokshetau File:Kokshetau-1_station._Kazakhstan,_2019.jpg, alt=, Train No. 057X Astana - Oral, under the electric locomotive KZ4AT-0012 at Kokshetau-1 station, 2019 Partly due to its location, Kokshetau is a major transport hub on the roads in Kazakhstan, highway and rail transport in Kazakhstan, rail networks.

City transport

The city transport in Kokshetau consists of a network of buses, minibuses (marshrutka) and taxis that are available 24 hours a day. Public transport in Kokshetau is heavily privatized and mostly handled by private operators.

Railway and intercity bus

The city is an important railroad hub in the northern part of Kazakhstan. The first train pulled into the Kokshetau-1 station, Kokshetau Railway station on 2 June 1922. Railways are Kokshetau's one of the main modes of intracity and suburban transportation. Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Kazakhstan Railways provide freight and passenger traffic to and from Kokshetau. There are two railway stations in the city: Kokshetau-1 station, Kokshetau-1 and Stantsyonny, Akmola Region, Kokshetau-2. The main railway station Kokshetau-1 station is located north-east from the centre of Kokshetau and includes a main building (built in 1981) and some other technical buildings. Kokshetau-1 station is the city's main station and a major stop for numerous passenger trains traveling between Nur-Sultan and the other regions of Kazakhstan each day. The popular Tulpar-Talgo service to Almaty takes sixteen hours. There is also Kokshetau Central Bus Terminal that links Kokshetau with the villages in

Akmola Region Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is en ...

and other cities in Kazakhstan and the neighboring countries. Frequent schedules of bus routes connect Kokshetau to

Astana Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmo ...

,

Petropavl Petropavl ( kk, Петропавл, Petropavl ) or Petropavlovsk () is a city on the Ishim River in northern Kazakhstan close to the border with Russia. It is the capital of the North Kazakhstan Region. Population: 218,956. The city is also kno ...

,

Karaganda Karaganda or Qaraghandy ( kk, Қарағанды/Qarağandy, ; russian: Караганда, ) is the capital of Karaganda Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, fourth most populous city in Kaza ...

,

Pavlodar Pavlodar ( ; ) is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan and the capital of Pavlodar Region. It is located 450 km northeast of the national capital Astana and 405 km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk along the Irtysh River. , the cit ...

,

Kostanay Kostanay ( kz, Қостанай, Qostanai ) is a city located on the Tobol River in northern Kazakhstan. It was known as Nikolayevsk (russian: Николаевск) until 1895 and then as Kustanay (russian: Кустанай) until 1997. Kostanay ...

,

Omsk Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...

, Yekaterinburg, Tobolsk,

Tyumen Tyumen ( ; rus, Тюмень, p=tʲʉˈmʲenʲ, a=Ru-Tyumen.ogg) is the administrative center and largest city of Tyumen Oblast, Russia. It is situated just east of the Ural Mountains, along the Tura River. Fueled by the Russian oil and gas indu ...

and

Kurgan A kurgan is a type of tumulus constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons and horses. Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into much of Central Asi ...

. Many of these are cross-country services operating from north to south, for which Kokshetau provides interchange facilities.

Air travel

Kokshetau and surrounding communities are served by one commercial international airport: Kokshetau Airport, Kokshetau International Airport , which is the List of the busiest airports in Kazakhstan, seventeenth-busiest airport (2019) by passenger traffic in Kazakhstan. It is located north-east from the centre of city, on the route to

Omsk Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...

, and used to be the headquarters of now-defunct Air Kokshetau. The airport has a capacity of handling 200 passengers per hour. The Kokshetau Airport, Kokshetau International Airport, which opened in 1945, was significantly upgraded in 2013 with a new 2850-metre runway capable of accommodating all aircraft types without any restrictions. In 2013, the airport received its first scheduled flight after the renovation to Vnukovo International Airport, Moscow, Russia. The airport can be reached by car, public transport, or taxi. Seasonal flights to Frankfurt am Main, were available in 2004 but have been cancelled since. It serves mostly domestic flights. SCAT Airlines fly to and from Almaty, Aktau and Turkistan (city), Turkistan as well as FlyArystan operates three weekly flights to Almaty. The former largest carrier of the Kokshetau Airport — Air Kokshetau — is not serving any regular destinations as of 2021.

Highways

Kokshetau has connections to

Astana Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmo ...

() and

Petropavl Petropavl ( kk, Петропавл, Petropavl ) or Petropavlovsk () is a city on the Ishim River in northern Kazakhstan close to the border with Russia. It is the capital of the North Kazakhstan Region. Population: 218,956. The city is also kno ...

() by the A1. international E-road network, European route Tabliczka E125

intersect in Kokshetau. * The A13, which connects Kokshetau to

Omsk Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...

(Russia); Other major roads passing through Kokshetau include: * The Roads in Kazakhstan, R11 highway connects Kokshetau to

Kostanay Kostanay ( kz, Қостанай, Qostanai ) is a city located on the Tobol River in northern Kazakhstan. It was known as Nikolayevsk (russian: Николаевск) until 1895 and then as Kustanay (russian: Кустанай) until 1997. Kostanay ...

(via the Roads in Kazakhstan#International highways, M36); * The Roads in Kazakhstan, R12 highway connects Kokshetau to

Atbasar Atbasar ( kk, Атбасар, ''Atbasar'') is a town in Aqmola Region of the northern Kazakhstan. It was founded in 1845. Atbasar is the 44th biggest city in Kazakhstan. Atbasar lies at an altitude of 282 meters above sea level. Population: Cli ...

Architecture

The city is full of numerous buildings and monuments that reflect its rich and diverse history. The architecture of Kokshetau has been shaped through its history by the progression of historical eras. Many buildings of Kokshetau are ranged from a different number of architectural styles. The architecture of the city dates back to 19th century, the city had numerous wooden buildings with elaborate decor. Kokshetau is the home of a unique architectural tradition and community with number of historical buildings in city. Industrialization in Kokshetau started in the late 1920s. There are a number of two-story wooden houses in the city built mostly in the middle of the 20th century as temporary habitations. Among other notable buildings are the mansions of the merchant Andrei Vasilievich Sokolov (late of the 19th century - beginning of the 20th century), the Akmola Regional Museum of History and Local Lore (beginning of the 20th century). The city’s apartment houses are called “Khrushchyovka” and “Stalinist architecture, Stalinka” due to the peculiarities of architectural approaches in their construction.

Education

Kokshetau is a regional centre of education and has a large number of educational establishments, including universities, professional colleges and gymnasium (school), gymnasiums (high schools). Primary and secondary schools in Kokshetau include state-run and private institutions.

Pre-university education

Kokshetau has 34 (secondary education) schools, including 6 lyceums and 6 Gymnasium (school), gymnasiums.

Post-secondary education

The city is currently home to the following state higher educational institutions: * Kokshetau Technical Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan * Kokshetau Academy of Economics and Management A number of other non-state-funded institutions for further education operate in the city.

Sport

Sport has always been important in Kokshetau. Football in Kazakhstan, Football and Sport_in_Kazakhstan#Ice_hockey, ice hockey are by far the most popular sports in the city. Kokshetau has many parks that provide excellent pitches for impromptu games. The city is home to the FC Okzhetpes football club, based in the Okzhetpes Stadium, and which has a capacity of 4,500, which participates in the Kazakhstan Premier League, the top division of football in Kazakhstan. In 2015 and 2018, they finished first place in the Kazakhstan First Division. A number of well-known athletes, both world and Olympic Games, Olympics champions, are associated with the city. Burabay Sports Complex serves as home arena to the ice hockey club Arlan Kokshetau, which competes in the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship. Arlan Kokshetau hockey players were the champions of Kazakhstan in the season 2017/2018. Arlan Kokshetau players also became the first team from Kazakhstan to win IIHF Continental Cup in the season 2018–19 IIHF Continental Cup, 2018/2019. The city has an ice rink for winter sports. Several sports clubs are active in the city:

Parks and recreation

Kokshetau is home to a large number of parks and recreation areas. * City Park, the city's largest and oldest park, established in 1957. * Revolution Fighters Park

Elikti

Elikti is a ski resort near Kokshetau, located on the slopes of Mount Elikti, at the elevation of 500 metres above sea level. The resort area is about 25 kilometres (16 mi) of Kokshetau city by the P11 road on the way from Kokshetau to Ruzayevka. It is popular for its mild climate, a large quantity of sunny days and a great amount of snow through the winter. Visitors can buy or rent any necessary skiing and snowboarding equipment.

Recreation around Kokshetau

Around Kokshetau, there are numerous nearby freshwater lakes such as Lake Burabay,

Lake Ulken Shabakty Lake Ulken Shabakty ( kz, Үлкен Шабақты, ''Ülken Şabaqty''; russian: Большое Чебачье) is a lake in the Burabay District, North Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan. Fishery on the lake is common. The lake lies by Burabay ...

, Lake Kishi Shabakty, Lake Aiyrtau and the Lake Zerendi, which are popular among Kokshetau residents for recreation, swimming and watersports and can be quickly reached by car. File:Lake Burabai3.jpg, Lake Burabay File:Lake_Chebachye_-_panoramio.jpg,

Lake Ulken Shabakty Lake Ulken Shabakty ( kz, Үлкен Шабақты, ''Ülken Şabaqty''; russian: Большое Чебачье) is a lake in the Burabay District, North Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan. Fishery on the lake is common. The lake lies by Burabay ...

File:Малое_Чебачье.jpg, Lake Kishi Shabakty File:Aiyrtau.jpg, Lake Aiyrtau File:Zerenda June 01.jpg, Lake Zerendi

International relations

Waukesha_and_Kokshetau,_sister_cities_since_1989

Twin towns – Sister cities

Kokshetau is Sister city, twinned with the following regions, cities, and counties:

Cooperation agreements

Kokshetau has cooperation agreements with: * Krasnoyarsk, Russia (2022)

References

External links

Official web site

360° QTVR fullscreen panoramas
of the Kokshetau
Visitaqmola.kz – Tourism website for Akmola Region
{{Authority control Kokshetau, Cities in Central Asia Cities and towns in Kazakhstan Populated places established in 1824 Akmolinsk Oblast (Russian Empire) Kokchetav Oblast Populated places in Akmola Region Populated places established in the 19th century 19th-century establishments in Kazakhstan 1824 establishments in the Russian Empire 1824 establishments in Asia

Names and etymology

Physical geography and geology

Location

Time

Administrative districts and microdistricts

Administrative-Territorial Division

Climate

History

Demographics

Ethnic and national composition

Religion

Culture

Theatres

Philharmonic

Museums

Cinemas

Libraries

Economy

Media

Newspapers

TV and radio

Internet media

Transport

City transport

Railway and intercity bus

Air travel

Highways

Architecture

Education

Pre-university education

Post-secondary education

Sport

Parks and recreation

Elikti

Recreation around Kokshetau

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Cooperation agreements

See also

References

External links