Founded in the 1850s as a Russian fort and trading post, the city served as the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1997 and is the commercial and cultural center of the country.

• 19世纪50年代作为俄罗斯的要塞和贸易站建立，该市1929年至1997年是哈萨克斯坦的首都以及经济、文化中心。