Turkistan Region

Turkistan Region
Region
From the top, Sayram-Ugam National Park, Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve
Coat of arms
Map of Kazakhstan, location of Turkistan Region highlighted
Coordinates: 43°00′N 068°30′E / 43.000°N 68.500°E / 43.000; 68.500
Country	Kazakhstan
Capital	Turkistan
Government
• Akim	Darkhan Satybaldy[1]
Area [2]
• Total	117,249 km2 (45,270 sq mi)
Population  (2013-02-01)[3]
• Total	2,685,009
• Density	23/km2 (59/sq mi)
GDP [4]
• Total	KZT 3,517.3 billion US$ 7.618 billion (2022)
• Per capita	KZT 1,671,800 US$ 3,621 (2022)
Time zone	UTC+5 (East)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+5 (not observed)
Postal codes	160000
Area codes	+7 (725)
ISO 3166 code	KZ-YUZ
Vehicle registration	13, X
Districts	11
Cities	8
Townships	13
Villages	932
Website	www.ontustik.gov.kz

Turkistan Region (Kazakh: Түркістан облысы, romanized: Türkıstan oblysy), formerly South Kazakhstan Region (Kazakh: Оңтүстік Қазақстан облысы, romanized: Oñtüstık Qazaqstan oblysy) (Russian: Южно-Казахстанская область, Yuzhno-Kazakhstanskaya oblast) from 1992 to 2018 and Chimkent Region (Russian: Чимкентская область, Chimkentskaya oblast) from 1963 to 1991 is the southernmost region of Kazakhstan. Population: 2 088 510 (2022 estimate); 2,469,367 (2009 Census results);^[5] 1,978,339 (1999 Census results).^[5] Its capital is Turkistan, formerly Shymkent until 2018. Other cities in Turkistan include Sayram, Kentau, Arys, Shardara, Zhetisai, Saryagash, and Lenger. This region and Atyrau Region are Kazakhstan's two smallest regions; both are about 117,300 square kilometers in area. Turkistan Region borders the neighboring country of Uzbekistan (and is also very near the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent), as well as three other Kazakhstan regions: Karaganda Region (to the north), Kyzylorda Region (to the west), and Jambyl Region (to the east). The Syr Darya passes through the region, on its way to the Aral Sea. An oil pipeline runs from Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan to Omsk, Russia (where it connects with a larger, Siberian pipeline) through South Kazakhstan. Oil, lead and zinc are refined in Shymkent.

The Region was created as South Kazakhstan Oblast in Kazakh SSR of Soviet Union. Between 1962 and 1992 it was named Chimkent Oblast. The administrative center of the Region was Shymkent. On 19 June 2018 Shymkent was taken out of the Region and subordinated directly to the government of Kazakhstan, the administrative center moved to Turkistan, and the Region renamed Turkistan Region.^[6]