Karatau Population 2026

Karatau has a population of 37,881, making it the #43 biggest city in 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan, located in Zhambyl. Roughly 0.2% of Kazakhstan's population lives here. It is about 52× smaller than Almaty, the country's biggest city.

Location of Karatau (capital Astana shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

37,881

Rank in Kazakhstan

#43

Coordinates

43.18°N, 70.46°E

~525 m elevation · Asia/Almaty

Distance to capital (Astana)

893 km

555 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Zhambyl

City	Population	Rank in Kazakhstan
Taraz	358,153	#6
Shu	39,785	#42
Zhangatas	33,492	#51
Merke	15,934	#82
Sarykemer	15,132	#83

Cities near Karatau

Turar Ryskulov18,421 people · ~72 km away
Zhangatas33,492 people · ~73 km away
Taraz358,153 people · ~81 km away
Sarykemer15,132 people · ~87 km away
Aksu26,115 people · ~99 km away
Shymkent1,200,000 people · ~119 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Karatau?

Karatau has a population of 37,881 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #43 biggest city in Kazakhstan.

What region is Karatau in?

Karatau is located in Zhambyl, Kazakhstan.

Is Karatau the capital of Kazakhstan?

No, the capital of Kazakhstan is Astana, about 893 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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