Kazakhstan is divided into 14 provinces oblystar (singular - oblysy):

Province	Capital (where different from province name)
Almaty Province	Taldykorgan
Aqmola	Kokshetau
Aqtöbe
Atyrau
Batys Qazaqstan	Oral
Mangghystau	Aqtau
Ongtustik Qazaqstan	Shymkent
Pavlodar
Qaraghandy
Qostanay
Qyzylorda
Shyghys Qazaqstan	Öskemen
Soltustik Qazaqstan	Petropavlovsk
Zhambyl	Taraz

Note: in 1995 the Governments of Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Bayqongyr (Baykonur) space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (formerly Leninsk).

Additionally, there are 3 cities (qala, singular - qalasy):

• Almaty
• Astana
• Bayqongyr