A 2020 official estimate reported a population of 1,136,008 within the city limits, making it the second-largest city in the country, after Almaty. The city of Astana became the capital of Kazakhstan on 16 September 2022.
The President of Kazakhstan agreed on Saturday, 17 September 2022 signed constitutional amendments that extended the presidential term to seven years and brought back the old name of the country’s capital, Astana (Астана in Kazakh).
The Kazakh parliament unanimously supported the amendments in two readings on Friday, and Tokayev signed them into law the next day, Saturday, 17 September 2022.
Astana, which means “capital city” in Kazakh, has become a magnet for economic development. The city’s high economic growth rate has attracted numerous investors.