Shymkent

Shymkent, known until 1993 as Chimkent, is a city in Kazakhstan, near the border with Uzbekistan. It is one of three Kazakh cities that have the status of a city of republican significance that of a region. It is the third-most populous city in Kazakhstan, behind Almaty and Astana, with an estimated population of 1,002,291 as of 1 June 2018. According to regional and city officials, the millionth resident of Shymkent was born on 17 May 2018. It is a regional cultural centre. Shymkent is situated 690 kilometres west of Almaty and 1,483 kilometres south of Astana. It is also 120 kilometres to the north of Tashkent, Uzbekistan.