Shymkent: population

Shymkent, Kazakhstan: 1.18 million people in 2025, by the UN estimate.

Rank among the cities of the country: 2 of 34.

In 1975 it had 254,000 people.

In 2000 it had 396,000 people, so it has grown by 199% since then.

For 2050 the UN projects 1.52 million people.

A city here is a dense area of at least 1,500 people per km² with at least 50,000 people, drawn on a population grid by the UN degree of urbanisation. It can differ from the city’s administrative borders and from national statistics. Years from 2026 on are projections.