Administrative divisions:

17 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 4 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Abay (Semey), Almaty (Qonaev), Almaty*, Aqmola (Kokshetau), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Bayqongyr*, Mangghystau (Aqtau), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Shymkent*, Soltustik Qazaqstan [North Kazakhstan] (Petropavl), Turkistan, Ulytau (Zhezqazghan), Zhambyl (Taraz), Zhetisu (Taldyqorghan)

note 1: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses

note 2: in 1995, the Kazakh and Russian governments agreed that Russia would lease for 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq mi) around the Baikonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baikonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, the lease was extended to 2050

Definition:

This entry gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted. Geographic names conform to spellings approved by the BGN with the exception of the omission of diacritical marks and special characters.

Source: CIA World Factbook