Almaty
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, 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.
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 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.
Almaty has hosted international events, including the Alma-Ata Primary Healthcare Conference in 1978, which shaped global public health policy, the 2011 Asian Winter Games, and the 2017 Winter Universiade. The city was also a contender to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, further solidifying its position as an international hub for winter sports, but ultimately lost the bid to Beijing.
Almaty is served by an extensive transportation network, including Almaty International Airport, the busiest in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, handling over 9.5 million passengers annually. The city is also served by the Almaty Metro, opened in 2011. Additionally, buses and trolleybuses contribute to the city's comprehensive public transport system.
Almaty’s proximity to natural attractions such as the Ile-Alatau National Park, with its diverse ecosystems and scenic trails, and Big Almaty Lake, makes it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Additionally, the city's close proximity to Medeu, the highest-altitude ice rink in the world, and Shymbulak ski resort, contributes to Almaty’s reputation as a major tourism hub for adventure and outdoor activities.
A member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since 2017 in the field of music, Almaty is renowned for its cultural contributions. It is also classified as a Gamma + level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, underscoring its economic and regional significance. Almaty is celebrated for its green spaces, with numerous urban parks, tree-lined streets, and fountains, contributing to its reputation as one of the greenest cities in the region. The city’s skyline blends historical Soviet-era buildings with modern skyscrapers, symbolizing its ongoing economic development and evolving identity.
Key landmarks and attractions in Almaty include the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan, Ascension Cathedral, Green Bazaar, Arbat, and Kök Töbe, a hilltop destination offering panoramic views of the city and the surrounding mountains. The city is also home to prestigious educational institutions such as Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the Kazakh-British Technical University, the International Information Technology University, and Narxoz University.
Status
From 1929 to 1936, the city, then known as Alma-Ata, was the capital of the Kazakh ASSR. From 1936 to 1991, Alma-Ata was the capital of the Kazakh SSR. After Kazakhstan became independent in 1991, the city was renamed Almaty in 1993 and continued as the capital until 1997, when the capital was moved to Akmola. Since then Almaty has been referred to as the "southern capital" of Kazakhstan.Almaty remains the largest, most developed, and most ethnically and culturally diverse city in Kazakhstan. Due to development by the Soviet Union and relocation of workers and industries from European areas of the Soviet Union during World War II, the city has a high proportion of ethnic Russians and Uyghurs. The city lies in the foothills of Trans-Ili Alatau in the extreme south-east.
It has a relatively mild climate with warm and dry summers and quite cold winters. Since the city is in a tectonically active area, it has an endemic risk of earthquakes. Although most tremors do not cause any significant damage, Almaty has suffered some large destructive earthquakes.
Etymology
The name Almaty has its roots in the medieval settlement Almatau, that existed near the present-day city. A disputed theory holds that the name is derived from the Kazakh word for 'apple', and is often translated as "full of apples". Its former name, Alma-Ata, translates to “father of the apples,” Its present name could be a pluralization of one of the Turkic words for "father". It was mentioned in the 16th century Baburnama under the spelling Almatu.Originally it was Almatau which means Apple Mountain. There is great genetic diversity among the wild apples in the region surrounding Almaty; the region west of the Tian Shan mountains is thought to be the apple's ancestral home. The wild Malus sieversii is considered a likely candidate for the ancestor of the modern domestic apple.
History
Prehistoric Almaty
During 1000–900 BC in the Bronze Age, the first farmers and cattle-breeders established settlements in the territory of Almaty. During the Saka period, these lands were occupied by the Saka and later Wusun tribes, who inhabited the territory north of the Tian Shan mountain range with evidence of these times found in the numerous burial mounds and ancient settlements, especially the giant burial mounds of the Saka tsars. The most famous archaeological finds have been "The Golden Man", also known as "The Golden Warrior", from the Issyk Kurgan; the Zhalauly treasure, the Kargaly diadem, and the Zhetysu arts bronzes. During the period of Saka and Wusun governance, Almaty became an early education center.12th–15th centuries
The region comprising modern Almaty and its surroundings was ruled by the Qara Khitai during the 12th century until they were invaded by the Mongol empire in 1218. It remained under the Mongols until the disintegration of the empire at the end of the century after which the region continued to be a part of the subsequent Chagatai Khanate, or later the breakaway Moghulistan.This region was an important trade route between the West and East, with cities like Taraz to the west and Almaliq to the east as major stopping points. The importance declined during the 15th century though, due to Temür’s attacks and him shifting the trade routes southwards, whereafter Tarim basin became the centre for Moghulistan. Wars with Timur, Bukhara Khanate and Kazakh Khanate decreased Moghul’s rule in Transoxonia over the 15th century and by early 16th century, the Almaty region came under the Kazakh rule.
16th–18th centuries
The Dzungar invaded, dominating the Kazakh people for a period. The Kazakhs fought to protect their land and preserve independence. In 1730 the Kazakh defeated the Dzungar in the Anyrakay mountains, northwest of Almaty. The Senior Kazakh Horde held jurisdiction over the region. During the eighteenth century, the city and region were roughly near the border of the Khanate of Kokand. It was then absorbed as part of the Russian Empire in the 1850s.Foundation of Verny
To establish its control of the region, Russia built Fort Zailiyskoe between the Bolshaya and Malenkaya Almatinka rivers. Construction began on 4 February 1854 and was largely completed by autumn. The fort was a pentagonal wooden palisade with one side built along the Malaya Almatinka. Before the end of the year, it was renamed Fort Vernoe, sometimes rendered as Vyernoe at the time. The palisade was eventually replaced with a brick wall with embrasures. The fort's main facilities were erected around the large central square for training and parading.In 1867, the settlement around the fort was large enough that it was reorganized as the town of Almatinsk. Before the end of the year, this was renamed Verny.
On 28 May 1887, at 4 a.m., an earthquake almost totally destroyed Verny in 11–12 minutes.
By 1906 the population of the city had grown to 27,000, two-thirds of whom were Russians and Ukrainians.
On 3 January 1911 the city was almost completely destroyed with over 770 brick buildings collapsing as a result of the 1911 Kebin earthquake.
Soviet era
In 1918 following the Russian Revolution and the establishment of the Bolshevik government, Soviet power was established in Verny. The city and the region became part of the Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. On 5 February 1921, Verny was renamed Alma-Ata, one of the city's ancient names, by a joint consultation of regional government representatives, professional trade associations, and local faith-based groups.In 1926, the Council of Labor and Defence approved the construction of the Turkestan–Siberia Railway that was a crucial element of the future growth of Kazakhstan, especially in the east and southeast of the region. The Turkestan–Siberia Railway construction also had a decisive economic impact that strongly influenced the destiny of Alma-Ata as the capital of the Kazakh ASSR. In 1930 the construction of the highway and railway to Alma-Ata was completed.
On 29 April 1927, the government decided to transfer the capital of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic from Kyzyl-Orda to Alma-Ata, within the RFSFR. This attracted more trade and people working with the government, stimulating intensive development in the city.
On 31 January 1928, Leon Trotsky, leader of the 1917 October Revolution, accompanied by his wife Natalia Sedova and his son Lev Sedov, was exiled to Alma-Ata by Joseph Stalin, then head of the All-Union Communist Party in Moscow. Trotsky was expelled from Alma-Ata to Turkey in February 1929 and went into exile in Mexico City.
The Alma-Ata airport was opened in 1930, opening up a direct connection from Alma-Ata to Moscow, the center of the Soviet government. Alma-Ata became the main entry by air to Kazakhstan, a status which it retains today. Transformation of this small town into the capital of the Kazakh SSR was accelerated by the large-scale construction of new administrative and government facilities and housing. The Great Purge of 1936–38 extended to Kazakhstan, where numerous intellectuals, activists, leaders, teachers and others were killed. The Soviet government dominated the population. During the 1930s Kazakh nomads suffered starvation after disruption of their traditional living patterns.
In 1936 the Architecture and Planning Bureau developed a plan to enhance Alma-Ata as the new cultural capital of the Kazakh SSR. The plan was based on the existing rectangular system of districts. They were to be strengthened and reconstructed.