Almaty

Almaty is the most populous city in Kazakhstan, with more than two million residents. It was formerly named Alma-Ata. It lies in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains in southern Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, at an elevation of 700–900 metres (2,300–3,000 feet), with the Big Almaty and Small Almaty rivers running through it. Almaty is the second-largest city in Central Asia (after Tashkent, Uzbekistan) and the fourth-largest in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Almaty was the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1991 (during the Soviet era) and after independence until 1997, when the capital was moved to Akmola (now Astana). It is classified as a city of republican significance. Almaty has hosted international events, including the Alma-Ata Primary Healthcare Conference in 1978, the 2011 Asian Winter Games, and the 2017 Winter Universiade. The city was also a contender to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, but ultimately lost the bid to Beijing. It has been a UNESCO Creative City of Music since 2017, and classified as a Gamma+ level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Landmarks and attractions in Almaty include the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan; Ascension Cathedral; Green Bazaar; Arbat, a pedestrian area; and Kök Töbe, a hilltop recreation area with views of the city and the surrounding mountains. The city is also home to educational institutions such as Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the Kazakh-British Technical University, the International Information Technology University, and Narxoz University.