Map of Zhambyl
Zhambyl is a first-level division of Kazakhstan. Its largest mapped city is Taraz, with about 358,153 people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Zhambyl, and the tables list its 6 mapped cities.
- Cities Mapped
- 6
- Largest City
- Taraz
- Country
- Kazakhstan
Interactive Map of Zhambyl
About Zhambyl
Jambyl Region, formerly named Dzhambul Region until 1991, is a region of Kazakhstan. The population of the region is 1,209,665. Its administrative center is Taraz, with a population of 335,100. To the south the region borders Kyrgyzstan and nearly borders Uzbekistan in the southwest. Jambyl also borders three other provinces of Kazakhstan: Karaganda Region (to the north), Turkistan Region (to the west), and Almaty Region (to the east). The total area is 144,200 square kilometres (55,700 mi2). The province borders Lake Balkhash to its northeast. The province (and its capital during the Soviet era) was named after the Kazakh akyn (folk singer) Jambyl Jabayev.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Jambyl Region (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Zhambyl in Depth
History
The Dzhambul Region was formed by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on October 14, 1939, and included nine districts, of which six were separated from the South Kazakhstan and three from the Alma-Ata region.
In August 2021, nine people were killed in a major explosion in at a Kazakhstani ammunition depot at a military unit in Taraz in the Jambyl Region of Kazakhstan. As a result, Minister of Defense Nurlan Yermekbayev announced his intent to resign on 27 August 2021. Four days later his resignation was accepted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, with Yermekbayev accepting responsibility for the tragedy, and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Murat Bektanov.
Economy
Important industries include rock phosphate mining (around Karatau). The Chu River valley is one of Kazakhstan's important areas of irrigated agriculture.
The core of the rail transportation network in the region is based on the east–west Turksib rail line, which runs through Taraz and Chu toward Almaty, and the north–south Transkazakhstan line, which runs north from Chu toward Nur-Sultan. CIS Highway M 39 (which in this area forms part of European route E40) comes from Tashkent, Uzbekistan over Shymkent (capital of neighbouring province South Kazakhstan) and runs further over Taraz to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; then it comes to Jambyl Province again through Korday border crossing and continues east toward Almaty.
Tourism
In 2018, the Jambyl region began the reconstruction of the Tekturmas historical complex. Located on the outskirts of the city, this complex is aimed at highlighting and preserving the cultural heritage of the country. Currently, the site is home to 14 monuments, a waterfall, observatory platforms, and a medieval style fortress that surrounds the complex.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Jambyl Region (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Zhambyl: Key Facts
| Population | 1,199,259 (2021) |
|---|---|
| Area | 144,264 km² |
| Capital | Taraz |
| Head of government | Karim Kokrekbayev |
| Established | 1939 |
Facts from Wikidata Q486657 (CC0).
History of Zhambyl: Empires and States
The atlas records 22 polities whose mapped territory included part of Zhambyl, from Yuezhi in 170 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| Yuezhi | 170–111 BCE |
| Xionites | 387–401 CE |
| Kidarites | 402–442 CE |
| White Huns | 410–560 CE |
| Göktürk Khaganate | 555–586 CE |
| Western Göktürks | 587–660 CE |
| The Tang Dynasty | 656–665 CE |
| Turks | 666–754 CE |
| Türgesh | 705–749 CE |
| Uyghur Khaganate | 755–792 CE |
| Qarlugs | 793–849 CE |
| Kara-Khanids | 850–1045 CE |
| Samanid Empire | 896–999 CE |
| Eastern Kara-Khanids | 1046–1138 CE |
| Kara-Khitans | 1139–1219 CE |
| The Mongol Empire | 1220–1368 CE |
| Chagatai Khanate | 1294–1462 CE |
| Kazakh Khanate | 1468–1821 CE |
| Khanate of Kokand | 1822–1863 CE |
| The Russian Empire | 1864–1916 CE |
| Union of Soviet Socialist Republics | 1922–1991 CE |
| Kazakhstan | 1992–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Zhambyl
Zhambyl on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Largest Cities in Zhambyl
6 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taraz | 358,153 | Zhambyl | Admin-1 capital |
| 2 | Shu | 42,439 | Zhambyl | Populated place |
| 3 | Qaratau | 37,881 | Zhambyl | Populated place |
| 4 | Oytal | 22,673 | Zhambyl | Populated place |
| 5 | Qulan | 13,128 | Zhambyl | Populated place |
| 6 | Burylbaytal | 100 | Zhambyl | Populated place |
Zhambyl: Quick Answers
- Where is Zhambyl?
- Zhambyl is a first-level division of Kazakhstan, in Asia. Its mapped cities centre on 43.4092° N, 72.5934° E.
- What is the largest city in Zhambyl?
- Taraz is the largest city mapped in Zhambyl, with a metropolitan population of about 358,153.
- How many cities are in Zhambyl?
- YearMaps maps 6 cities and towns in Zhambyl, with a combined metropolitan population of about 474,374. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.