City Asia
Almaty
Almaty is a city in Kazakhstan, at the foot of high mountains. Its name comes from apple trees. Its streets are wide and green.
Almaty is the main city of Kazakhstan, in the southeast of the country at the foot of the Ala-Tau mountains. It was founded in 1854 where a Kazakh village called Almaty, 'village of apple trees', stood. It was the capital until 1998, and about 2,387,900 people lived there on 1 September 2026.
Almaty (Alma-Ata in the Soviet period, Verny until 1921), Kazakhstan's main city, lies on the alluvial fan of the Big and Small Almatinka rivers below the Ala-Tau. Founded in 1854, it grew from 22,700 people in 1897 to 456,500 in 1959, was the capital until 1998 and is known for its grid of wide avenues, canals and fruit trees. Official estimate, 1 September 2026: 2,387,900.
Photo: Marat Rysbekov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Almaty
Almaty is a city in Kazakhstan. It is the country's main city.
It lies at the foot of tall mountains.
Almaty is the main city of Kazakhstan, Universalis says. It lies in the southeast of the country, at the foot of the Ala-Tau mountains, on a wide fan of gravel and soil laid down by two rivers, the Big and the Small Almatinka.
Kazakhstan's Bureau of National Statistics estimated that 2,387,900 people lived in the city on 1 September 2026. At the 2021 census, Almaty had 2.1 million people.
Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan, region page for the city of Almaty: population on 1 September 2026, 2,387.9 thousand; natural increase in January–August 2026, 11,873 (13,308 a year earlier); births 19,917 and deaths 8,044 in January–August 2026.
Universalis: the main city of the Republic of Kazakhstan (called Alma-Ata in the Soviet period) lies in the southeast of the country, at the foot of the Ala-Tau mountains, on the alluvial fan built jointly by the Big and the Small Almatinka; it had 2.1 million inhabitants at the 2021 census.
- Country
- Kazakhstan (its main city)
- People in the city of Almaty (official estimate, 1 September 2026)
- about 2,387,900
- People at the 2021 census
- 2.1 million
- Setting
- southeast Kazakhstan, at the foot of the Ala-Tau mountains
The view from Kok Tobe
This photo was taken from a mountain called Kok Tobe. Look at all the trees!
A wide road runs straight through the city. Tall towers stand on both sides.
This photo was taken on 10 June 2021 from Kok Tobe, a mountain with a park in Almaty. Green treetops fill the front. Beyond them, a wide road full of cars runs straight into the city, between apartment blocks and tall towers, some with pointed glass tops.
Further away, the city spreads out over a flat plain, with hazy mountains on the left. Wikidata gives Kok Tobe a height of 1,130 meters, and the Kok Tobe Cableway opened on 4 November 1967.
Commons: '13 Вид на Алма-Ату с горы Кок Тюбе' ('View of Alma-Ata from Kok Tyube mountain'), 10 June 2021, own work by Marat Rysbekov (the uploader), CC BY-SA 4.0; entered in Wiki Loves Earth 2022 in Kazakhstan; category 'Views from Kok Tobe'.
In the picture: deciduous treetops in the foreground; a multi-lane avenue with an underpass running away from the camera; apartment blocks, office towers and three dark glass towers with pointed tops; low-rise districts stretching across the plain to the horizon; a ridge of mountains at the left edge. Wikidata: Kok Tobe (Q1795699), elevation 1,130 m; Kok Tobe Cableway (Q60852070), opened 1967-11-04.
- Photo
- view of Almaty from Kok Tobe, 10 June 2021
- Kok Tobe
- a mountain 1,130 m high, about 5 km east of the city's Wikidata point (Wikidata)
- Kok Tobe Cableway
- opened 4 November 1967 (Wikidata)
From Verny to Almaty
Almaty was started in 1854. Back then, it was a small town.
It grew and grew. For many years it was the capital.
Almaty was founded in 1854 on the site of a Kazakh village called Almaty, which means 'village of apple trees', Universalis says. Until 1921 the town was called Verny. At first it was the modest main town of a farming oasis, with only 22,700 people in 1897.
After it became a capital, it grew very fast: from 45,400 people in 1926 to 221,600 in 1939 and 456,500 in 1959. Universalis says it was Kazakhstan's capital until 1998, when the capital moved to Akmola, which took the name Astana.
Universalis: founded in 1854 on the site of a Kazakh village called Almaty ('village of apple trees'), the city was called Verny until 1921. It first grew as a modest administrative center of a cultivated oasis, with few food industries and only 22,700 inhabitants in 1897. After it became the capital of the young Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, its population grew very fast, from 45,400 in 1926 to 221,600 in 1939 and 456,500 in 1959, notably with workers arriving from the western regions of the USSR. It combined the roles of political, administrative, cultural and industrial capital of Kazakhstan, and lost its status as political capital in 1998 to Akmola, less off-center, which then took the name Astana.
- Founded
- 1854, on the site of a Kazakh village called Almaty
- Name
- Verny until 1921; Alma-Ata in the Soviet period
- Capital
- until 1998, when the capital moved to Akmola, renamed Astana
Avenues, a metro and cable cars
Almaty has very wide streets. It also has a metro, with trains under the ground!
Almaty's streets are laid out in a perfectly regular grid, Universalis says, which gives the city huge avenues lined with footpaths and gardens.
Under the streets runs the Almaty Metro, which opened on 1 December 2011, Wikidata says. Almaty International Airport is about 14 kilometers north-northeast of Kok Tobe, and the Kok Tobe Cableway opened in 1967.
Universalis: its checkerboard plan, perfectly regular, gives the city immense avenues lined with pedestrian walks and gardens.
Wikidata (from Kok Tobe, Q1795699): Almaty Metro (Q484433), a rapid transit system, opened 2011-12-01; Almaty International Airport (Q858844; elevation 2,234 ft, about 681 m) 14.21 km NNE; Medeu (Q864796), an outdoor speed-skating and bandy rink, opened 1972, 10.74 km SE; Shymbulak (Q2963663), a ski resort near Almaty, 14.44 km SE; Kok Tobe Cableway opened 1967-11-04.
- Almaty Metro
- opened 1 December 2011 (Wikidata)
- Almaty International Airport
- about 14 km north-northeast of Kok Tobe, 2,234 feet (about 680 m) high (Wikidata)
- Street plan
- a perfectly regular grid of very wide avenues
Snowy winters, warm summers
Winters in Almaty are cold. Summers are warm.
The most rain falls in spring, in April and May.
The Japan Meteorological Agency's normals for Almaty (1991–2020) give a monthly average of −4.5 °C in January and 24.5 °C in July. The World Meteorological Organization's table gives average daily lows of −11.1 °C in January and average daily highs of 29.7 °C in July.
About 670 millimeters of precipitation fall in a year. The wettest months are April and May, with about 100 millimeters each, and the driest is September.
Japan Meteorological Agency, world station normals 1991–2020, Almaty (43.23° N, 76.93° E): monthly mean temperature from −4.5 °C (January) to 24.5 °C (July); precipitation sums to 670.5 mm, April (108.8 mm) and May (98.8 mm) the wettest months and September (27.7 mm) the driest.
WMO World Weather Information Service, Almaty (same coordinates; the table states no period): mean daily minimum −11.1 °C in January; mean daily maximum 29.7 °C in July; precipitation sums to 641 mm, also peaking in April (109 mm) and May (104 mm). The WMO table runs about 2 °C colder in winter than the JMA means (its January (max+min)/2 is −6.2 °C).
- Coldest month, average temperature (JMA normals, 1991–2020)
- −4.5 °C (January)
- Warmest month, average temperature (same normals)
- 24.5 °C (July)
- Precipitation in a year (sum of the monthly normals)
- about 670 mm
Gardens, canals and apple trees
Almaty has lots of parks and gardens. Many gardens have apple trees!
Not far away, people skate and ski.
Almaty stands out for its large green spaces and the water of its many canals, Universalis says. Its wide avenues are lined with gardens, often planted with fruit trees, and apple trees come first. That fits the city's name, which comes from a village of apple trees.
Southeast of Kok Tobe are Medeu, an outdoor rink for speed skating and bandy that opened in 1972, and Shymbulak, a ski resort, Wikidata says.
Universalis: Almaty is distinguished by the extent of its green spaces and the abundance of water in its many canals; its regular grid gives immense avenues lined with pedestrian walks and gardens often planted with fruit trees, apple trees first among them.
Wikidata (from Kok Tobe): Medeu (Q864796), an outdoor speed-skating and bandy rink, opened 1972, 10.74 km SE; Shymbulak (Q2963663), a ski resort near Almaty, 14.44 km SE; Big Almaty Lake (Q4092255), elevation 2,506 m, 20.31 km S.
- Green spaces and water
- large green spaces and many canals
- Garden trees
- often fruit trees, apple trees first among them
- Medeu
- an outdoor speed-skating and bandy rink, opened 1972 (Wikidata)
Almaty on the map
Find Kazakhstan on the globe, in Central Asia. Almaty is in the southeast, near the mountains.
Almaty lies at about 43.2° north, in the southeast of Kazakhstan, at the foot of the Ala-Tau mountains.
Measured from Kok Tobe, the city's center point on Wikidata is about 5 kilometers west, Medeu about 11 kilometers southeast, the airport about 14 kilometers north-northeast, and Big Almaty Lake, high in the mountains, about 20 kilometers south.
Almaty's Wikidata point lies at 43.24° N, 76.92° E; the Natural Earth point (43.33° N, 76.91° E) is 9.66 km to the north of it. From Kok Tobe (Wikidata points): city point 5.01 km W, Medeu 10.74 km SE, Almaty International Airport 14.21 km NNE, Shymbulak 14.44 km SE, Big Almaty Lake 20.31 km S.
Universalis: in the southeast of the country, at the foot of the Ala-Tau, on the alluvial fan of the Big and the Small Almatinka.
- Latitude
- about 43.24° north (city point)
- Longitude
- about 76.92° east (city point)
- Setting
- at the foot of the Ala-Tau, on the fan of the Big and Small Almatinka
Amazing facts
-
Almaty's name means 'village of apple trees'!
Almaty was founded in 1854 on the site of a Kazakh village called Almaty, 'village of apple trees', Universalis says.
Universalis: founded in 1854 on the site of a Kazakh village called Almaty ('village des pommiers'), the city was called Verny until 1921.
-
Many gardens in Almaty have fruit trees, and apple trees most of all.
Almaty's wide avenues are lined with gardens often planted with fruit trees, and apple trees come first, Universalis says.
Universalis: immense avenues lined with pedestrian walks and gardens often planted with fruit trees, among which apple trees take first place.
-
A cable car up Almaty's Kok Tobe opened in 1967!
The Kok Tobe Cableway opened on 4 November 1967, Wikidata says, and Kok Tobe rises to 1,130 meters.
Wikidata: Kok Tobe Cableway (Q60852070), opened 1967-11-04; Kok Tobe (Q1795699), elevation 1,130 m.
-
In 1897, about 22,700 people lived in Almaty. In 2021, about 2.1 million did!
Almaty had only 22,700 people in 1897 and 2.1 million at the 2021 census, Universalis says.
Universalis: 22,700 inhabitants in 1897; 2.1 million at the 2021 census.
Words to know
- alluvial fan
- a wide, fan-shaped spread of gravel and soil left by rivers coming out of mountains
- grid
- a pattern of straight streets that cross each other at right angles
- avenue
- a wide street in a town or city
- canal
- a channel dug to carry water
- cable car
- a cabin that hangs from a moving cable and carries people through the air
- estimate
- a careful guess based on the numbers people have
Discovery challenge
-
Almaty is a city in which country?
Almaty is the main city of which country?
Almaty, at the foot of the Ala-Tau, is the main city of which country?
- Kazakhstan
- Portugal
- Kenya
Show the answer
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan!
Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan.
-
Almaty's name comes from which tree?
The old village of Almaty was named after which kind of tree?
Universalis translates the Kazakh village name Almaty as 'village of' which trees?
- Apple trees
- Palm trees
- Pine trees
Show the answer
Apple trees
Apple trees!
Apple trees.
Apple trees ('village des pommiers').
-
What was Almaty called long ago?
What was Almaty called until 1921?
Founded in 1854, the city had which name until 1921?
- Verny
- Astana
- Bishkek
Show the answer
Verny
Verny!
Verny.
Verny.
-
What carries people up Kok Tobe?
What opened on Kok Tobe on 4 November 1967?
Wikidata dates which transport link on Kok Tobe to 4 November 1967?
- A cable car
- A ship
- A camel train
Show the answer
A cable car
A cable car!
A cable car (the Kok Tobe Cableway).
The Kok Tobe Cableway.
-
When does the most rain fall in Almaty?
In the JMA normals, which month is the wettest in Almaty?
JMA normals (1991–2020): which month has the most precipitation, 108.8 mm?
- April
- August
- January
Show the answer
April
In April, in spring!
April.
April (108.8 mm).
Nearby places
-
Watch
City
Bishkek
Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia. It lies at the foot of the snowy Kyrgyz Ala-Too range of the Tian Shan mountains, near the border with Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan's statistics office counted 1,358,600 people living in the city at the start of 2026.
-
Watch
City
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan, in Central Asia. It grew up in an oasis watered by the Chirchiq River, at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains. Its metro opened in 1977, and its TV tower is 375 meters tall. Uzbekistan's official estimate gives 3,112,748 people in the city at the start of 2025.
-
Watch
Natural wonder
K2
K2 is the world's second highest mountain, 8,611 meters tall, in the Karakoram Range of Asia. It got its short name in 1856, when a surveyor marked it as the second peak he measured in the Karakoram. It is one of the hardest mountains to climb, and its summit was first reached in 1954.
-
Watch
City
Astana
Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan, on the Ishim River in the north of the country. It began as a small outpost in 1830 and became the capital in 1997, when many new buildings rose on the river's left bank. Kazakhstan's statistics bureau counted 1,700,385 people there in September 2026.
-
Watch
Natural wonder
Hindu Kush
The Hindu Kush is a high mountain range in Asia, the western part of a great mountain system that also includes the Pamir, the Karakoram and the Himalayas. ESA gives its average height as 4,500 meters.
-
Watch
City
Bukhara
Bukhara is a city in Uzbekistan that lay on the Silk Roads, the old trade routes across Asia. UNESCO says it is more than 2,000 years old and calls its old town the most complete example of a medieval town in Central Asia. About 274,800 people lived there at the start of 2025.
-
Watch
City
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan, a city planned from scratch and built from 1961 on a plateau below the Margalla Hills. Its streets follow a big grid of neighborhoods called sectors. The Faisal Mosque, shaped like a giant tent, stands on its northwestern side. The 2023 census counted 1,108,872 people in the city.
-
Watch
Landmark
Baikonur Cosmodrome
Baikonur Cosmodrome is a huge rocket launch site on the flat grasslands of Kazakhstan. The Soviet Union began building it in secret in 1955. Sputnik 1, the first satellite, launched from here in 1957, and Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space, in 1961. Today Russia rents it from Kazakhstan, and crews have launched from it to the International Space Station as recently as 2025.
Explore next
-
Watch
Country
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia and the ninth largest in the world. It has no ocean coast, but the Caspian Sea lies along its southwest edge. About 20.6 million people lived there in 2026, and its capital is Astana.
-
Watch
City
Astana
Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan, on the Ishim River in the north of the country. It began as a small outpost in 1830 and became the capital in 1997, when many new buildings rose on the river's left bank. Kazakhstan's statistics bureau counted 1,700,385 people there in September 2026.
-
Watch
City
Bishkek
Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia. It lies at the foot of the snowy Kyrgyz Ala-Too range of the Tian Shan mountains, near the border with Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan's statistics office counted 1,358,600 people living in the city at the start of 2026.
-
Watch
City
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan, in Central Asia. It grew up in an oasis watered by the Chirchiq River, at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains. Its metro opened in 1977, and its TV tower is 375 meters tall. Uzbekistan's official estimate gives 3,112,748 people in the city at the start of 2025.
-
Watch
City
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It began in the 1700s as a small settlement around fresh water on an island, guarded by a coral-stone watchtower. Before oil, it relied on fishing and pearl diving; since the 1960s, money from oil has turned it into a city of towers. An official estimate gave the city about 1.75 million people in 2023.
-
Watch
City
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan, built on steep hills around a valley high on a plateau. Long ago it was a Roman city called Philadelphia, and its Roman theater, carved into a hillside, still holds about 6,000 people. Today the city spreads across the hills, with houses faced in pale stone. About 4.6 million people lived in Amman Governorate at the end of 2021.
-
Watch
City
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Türkiye, in the interior of Anatolia, about 200 kilometers from the Black Sea. People have lived here since the Stone Age, and Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans all left buildings behind. It became the capital in 1923, and today it is a city of government, universities and museums.
-
Watch
City
Ashgabat
Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan, in Central Asia. It lies at the foot of the Kopet Dag mountains, with the Karakum Desert to the north. The 2022 census counted 1,030,063 people, and Guinness World Records lists the city for its many white marble buildings.
For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Almaty in southeast Kazakhstan, below the Ala-Tau mountains.
- Explain what an alluvial fan is and how rivers build one.
- Describe how a grid plan shapes a city's streets.
- Read a climate table and find the wettest season.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Why might people plant fruit trees along city streets?
- Almaty grew from 22,700 people in 1897 to more than 2 million. What does a city need as it grows?
- What could you see from a hill above your own town?
Try at home or in class
- Alluvial fan: pour water down a sand slope in a tray and watch the sand spread out in a fan at the bottom.
- Grid map: draw a city on squared paper with straight avenues and add gardens along them.
- Rain chart: plot the twelve monthly precipitation totals and color the spring months.
Key vocabulary: alluvial fan, grid, avenue, canal, cable car, estimate
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Almaty , Encyclopaedia Universalis
- Almaty city: summary of the socio-economic development of the region , Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Almaty: world station climate normals (平年値データ) , Japan Meteorological Agency
- World normals by region and country (normals period 1991-2020) , Japan Meteorological Agency
- Almaty: climatological information , World Meteorological Organization, World Weather Information Service
- File:13 Вид на Алма-Ату с горы Кок Тюбе.jpg (Marat Rysbekov, 10 June 2021) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.