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Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan. With a population of 1,622,245 within the city limits, it is the second-largest in the country after Almaty, which was the national capital until 1997. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim river in the north of Kazakhstan. It is located within the Akmola Region but administers itself. Initially founded as Aqmoly in 1830, the city was later renamed Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, and Aqmola before adopting the name Astana in 1998, which means "capital city" in Kazakh. In 2019, the city briefly adopted the name Nur-Sultan in honor of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, but it reverted to the name Astana in 2022.
Astana's history is marked by rapid growth, especially after becoming the capital. Its transformation into a modern and planned city was guided by a master plan designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Today, Astana is renowned for its futuristic architecture, housing key government institutions, including the Akorda Residence, the Parliament House, and the Supreme Court. It has become an important center for culture, education, and commerce in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
The city is renowned for its modern landmarks, including the Baiterek, which symbolizes Kazakhstan's independence, the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, and the Hazrat Sultan Mosque, one of the largest in Central Asia. The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, designed to host cultural and interfaith events, highlights the city's role as a hub for dialogue and cooperation. In 2021, Astana was recognized as one of Kazakhstan's 10 priority tourist destinations. Visitors can explore cultural venues such as the Astana Opera and the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, alongside parks like Presidential Park and Central Park, which offer recreational spaces along the Ishim.
Astana gained international recognition when it hosted the 2011 Asian Winter Games, an event that showcased the city's ability to organize large-scale sporting events. The city also hosted Expo 2017, a major international exhibition focused on the theme of "Future Energy," which brought global attention to its commitment to sustainability and innovation. Astana is also home to the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, a prominent event that brings together religious leaders from around the world to foster mutual understanding and peace.
The city's transport infrastructure includes the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport, a key hub for both domestic and international flights. Astana is also well-connected by two railway stations, Astana-1 and Astana-Nurly Zhol, which provide services to major cities across Kazakhstan and beyond. The city's public transport system includes buses, and the planned Astana Light Metro system, currently under construction, is expected to significantly enhance the city's transport network, offering efficient and sustainable travel within the city.
Astana is home to notable educational institutions, such as Nazarbayev University, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and Astana IT University, contributing to its role as a hub for education and innovation. These institutions support the city's growth in technology, research, and higher learning, making Astana an increasingly important center for knowledge and progress in the region.
In December 1997, the city replaced Almaty as the capital of Kazakhstan, and in May 1998, it was renamed Astana, which means "capital city" in Kazakh language. In March 2019, the capital was renamed to Nur-Sultan (; ) in honor of the long-ruling President Nursultan Nazarbayev, shortly after his resignation. In September 2022, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a constitutional amendment to revert to the name Astana. , it holds the Guinness World Record for the capital city with the most name changes in modern times.
In 1869, Akmolinsk's external district and department were canceled, and Akmolinsk became the center of the newly established Akmolinsk Oblast. In 1879, Major General Dubelt proposed to build a railway between Tyumen and Akmolinsk to the Ministry of Communications of Russia. In the course of the first 30 years of its existence, the population of Akmola numbered a trifle more than 2,000 people. Over the next 30 years, the city's population increased by three times according to the and settlements of Akmola Region. In 1893, Akmolinsk was an uyezd with a population of 6,428 residents, three churches, five schools and colleges, and three factories.
In 1954, Northern Kazakh SSR oblasts became a territory of the Virgin Lands Campaign, in order to turn the region into a second grain producer for the Soviet Union. (2018). 9781784770921, Bradt Travel Guides; Third edition. ISBN 9781784770921
On August 2, 1959, a Akmola tragedy occurred, 143 people died in the collapse of the Yesil Bridge. The only police officer, Nurmukhambet Kozhakhmetov, saved 40 people.
In December 1960, the Central Committee made a resolution to create the Tselinniy Krai, which comprised five regions of the Northern Kazakh SSR oblasts. Eventually, Akmola Region ceased to exist as a separate administrative entity. Its districts were directly subordinated to the new krai administration, and Akmolinsk became the krai capital, as well as the administrative seat of the new Virgin Lands economic region. On 14 March 1961, Khrushchev suggested the city should have a name corresponding to its role in the Virgin Lands Campaign. On 20 March 1961, the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR renamed Akmolinsk to Tselinograd. On 24 April 1961, the region was reconstituted as Tselinograd Oblast. In the 1960s, Tselinograd was completely transformed. In 1963, work on the first three new high-rise housing districts began. In addition, the city received a number of new monumental public buildings, including the Virgin Lands Palace, a Palace of Youth, a House of Soviets, a new airport, and several sports venues. In 1971, the Tselinniy Krai was abolished and Tselinograd became the oblast's new capital.
In March 2019, the Kazakhstani government renamed the city Nur-Sultan to honour the country's outgoing long-term authoritarian president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. In September 2022, after a number of controversies and unrest resulting in Nazarbayev's resignation from the Security Council of Kazakhstan, the name of the capital was changed back to Astana.
Overall, Astana has a humid continental climate classification in the Köppen scheme ( Dfb). The average annual temperature in Astana is . January is the coldest month with an average temperature of and record lowest is in January. 1893's cold wave reached temperatures down to . July is the hottest month with an average temperature of .
As of 2025, ethnic Kazakhs made up 82.3% of the city population, representing a significant increase from only 17% at the time of the country'
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In 1989, Tselinograd had a population of 281,000. The ethnic mix was about 17.7% Kazakhs, 54.1% Russians, and 28.2% other ethnic groups.
By 2007, Astana's population had more than doubled since becoming the capital, to over 600,000, and it topped 1 million in 2017. Migrant workers—legal and illegal—have been attracted from across Kazakhstan and neighbouring states such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and Astana is a magnet for young professionals seeking to build a career. Most of the immigrants in Astana are Russian.
Additionally, Astana is home to the largest mosque in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the Astana Grand Mosque.
The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation was specially constructed in 2006 to host the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. It contains accommodations for different religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and other faiths. Central Asia's largest synagogue is found in Astana. The Catholic community is served by the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Cathedral.
Moreover, Astana also serves as the headquarters for the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Astana is a major hub of the Belt and Road Initiative, including for financial services and legal services connected to BRI projects.
Astana is the leader in the CIS region on the Global Financial Centers Index rank in 2022.
The Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) opened in July 2018 to become a hub for financial services in Central Asia.
Astana is the headquarters of state-owned corporations such as Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, KazMunayGas, KazTransOil, Kazatomprom, KEGOC, Kazpost, and Kazakhtelecom.
The shift of the capital has given it a powerful boost to Astana's economic development. The high economic growth rate of the city has attracted numerous investors. In the 16 years since Astana became the capital, the volume of investments has increased by almost 30 times, the gross regional product has increased by 90 times, and industrial output has increased by 11 times. The city's Gross Regional Product makes up about 8.5 per cent of the republic's Gross domestic product.
The Astana – New City special economic zone was established in 2001 to help develop industry and increase the attractiveness of the city to investors. The SEZ plans to commission five projects worth 20 billion KZT (around $108 million) in the Industrial Park No. 1 in 2015. The projects include construction of a plant for the production of , a fast food complex, temporary storage warehouses and a business center, a furniture factory, and the production of military and civil engineering machinery. The new Astana International Financial Centre opened in July 2018.
Astana's administration is promoting the development of small and medium-sized businesses through the cooperation of the Sovereign Welfare Fund Samruk-Kazyna and the National Economic Chamber. Support is provided by a special program of crediting. As a result, the number of small and medium-sized businesses increased by 13.7% to over 96,000 compared to the previous year as of 1 July 2015. In addition, the number of people employed in small and medium-sized businesses increased by 17.8% to over 234,000 people as of 1 April 2015.
Astana was included in the list of the top 21 intelligent communities of the world, according to the report released by the Intelligent Community Forum in October 2016. The rating list includes the cities, regions, and communities that utilize digital instruments for the construction of the local economy and society.
In 2018, Astana attracted more than three trillion tenge (US$7.91 billion) in foreign direct investment, a record amount for the city. The growth was achieved due to a large number of construction projects.
Tourism has become one of the factors that drives economic growth in the city. Astana is among the top ten most attractive tourist cities in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
In April 1998, the Government of Kazakhstan asked architects and of international renown to participate in a design competition for the new capital. On 6 October 1998, Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa was awarded the First Prize. Kurokawa's proposal aimed to preserve and redevelop the existing city, and create a new city at the south and the east sides of the Ishim River, enabling the Symbiosis of the History and the Future.
North of the railway line, which crosses Astana in an east–west direction, are industrial and poorer residential areas. Between the railway line and the Ishim river is the city centre, where at present intense building activity is occurring. To the west and east are more elevated residential areas with parks and the new area of government administration to the south of the Ishim River. Here many large building projects are under way; for example, the construction of a diplomatic quarter, and government buildings. By 2030, these quarters are to be completed. Astana's chief planner, Vladimir Laptev, wants to build a Berlin in a style. He has stated that a purely administrative capital such as Canberra is not one of his goals.
Two of the most significant structures in Astana's developing urban landscape are the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation and the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center. Their architectural styles are intended to echo features of the nomadic empires that shaped the history of the Eurasian steppes.
Astana is home to several professional ice hockey teams. The Barys Astana, a founding member of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2008 and based in the Barys Arena. The Nomad Astana and HC Astana play in the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship. The Snezhnye Barsy of the Junior Hockey League is a junior team of the Barys Astana. Astana annually hosts the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan's Cup ice hockey tournament.
The Astana Pro Team, founded in 2007, participates in the UCI World Tour. The team is one of the most successful road cycling teams of recent years, winning several grand tours. The BC Astana of the VTB United League and the Kazakhstan Basketball League is the only professional basketball team in Astana. It is the most successful basketball team in Kazakhstan with three Kazakhstan Basketball League titles and four Kazakhstan Basketball Cups. Its home arena is the Saryarka Velodrome, which is mainly used for track cycling events. The Saryarka Velodrome hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Cup stage in 2011. The Astana Presidential Sports Club was founded in 2012, to combine the main sports teams in Astana. The organization is supported by Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna. The 2011 Asian Winter Games were partly held in the capital. The Alau Ice Palace, hosted the 2015 World Sprint Speed Skating Championships. The President's Cup tennis tournament is annually held at the Daulet National Tennis Centre.
The martial art palace was opened on 6 July 2019. Sports facilities for five thousand spectators can take part in international competitions in boxing, wrestling, judo, weightlifting, and other Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines. The palace has a 25-meter pool, fitness and wrestling rooms, a football field, as well as a comfortable hotel. The object will be made available to the pupils of the sports school.
Astana schools enrolls about 103,000 students across 83 schools, including 71 and 12 . The Miras International School, established 1999, was the first private high school established in Astana. The Haileybury Astana school was established in 2011, as a branch of the Haileybury and Imperial Service College, an independent school in the United Kingdom. The Astana Kazakh-Turkish High Schools are run by the International KATEV foundation. There are Kazakh-Turkish High Boarding Schools for gifted boys and girls, separately and the Nurorda International School. Astana hosts two Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS), including the School of Physics and Mathematics and International Baccalaureate world school. The QSI International School of Astana is an international school that provides an American curriculum to its students. The school is a branch of the Quality Schools International that started in the Middle East.
Trolleybus routes were opened in 1983. There were originally 3 routes, however, by 2006, only one route was left. In 2008, the only trolleybus fleet by the special state commission was declared unprofitable due to debts to the energy supply company and as a result, it was completely closed.
In 2011, the Akimat of Astana established a company to implement a series of changes and programmes in the metropolis known as the "New transport system of Astana". As part of these programmes, bus rapid transit (BRT) lines were opened. That same year, the construction of a light rail (LRT) was to begin. It was planned that the first stage of construction of a 16.4-kilometer line, which would've included nine stations, was planned to be completed by 1 December 2013. However, in November 2013, President Nursultan Nazarbayev condemned the construction of LRT because of the high cost. In exchange, there was a promise to launch high-speed buses. Despite the controversy, the construction of the LRT began in 2017 with the flyovers along to which the trains will pass. After a corruption scandal in 2019, the project stagnated, but in 2023, construction resumed and (as of November 2025) the first line of the Astana Light Metro is planned to start operation in the first quarter of 2026.
The bicycle-sharing program AstanaBike has been operating in Astana since 2014. In 2017, the system consisted of 40 stations with 1000 bicycles.
Astana railway station is the city's main railway station and serves approximately 7,000 people each day. A new railway station, Nurly Zhol was built during the Expo 2017 event with a customer capacity of 12,000. Talgo is a daily express train to Almaty. Short-term plans include the construction of a new railway station in the industrial district; in the vicinity of CHPP-3 a new terminal will be erected for freight cars.
M-36 Chelyabinsk-Almaty and A-343 Astana-Petropavlovsk highways are routed through the city. The strategic geographical positioning of Astana allows the city to serve as a transport and reload centre for cargoes formed at adjacent stations in the area.
Expo 2017 opened to much fanfare on 10 June 2017, with heads of state from 17 nations in attendance. It is the first world's fair to be held in Central Asia and its central pavilion, Nur Alem, is the largest spherical building in the world. The two-millionth visitor was registered on 7 August. More than 4 million people attended the event.
Astana's smart city sector includes the annual Astana Innovations Challenge, designed to bring attention to the smart city concept. In addition, the world's first smart sustainable city acceleration hub is set to open in Astana. This hub was planned to integrate from 10 to 15 startup solutions into the infrastructure of Kazakhstan.
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