In IX-XIII centuries the urban culture was developing greatly. In the ancient written documents of the Turk period you can find the names of the most famous towns in the Middle Ages: Otrar (Farab), Taraz, Isfidzhab (Sairam), Sygnak, Suyab, Sauran, Yangikent, Yassy, Koilyk, Talgar and many others. Architecture achieved its peak prosperity, and it is proved by the beautiful facilities that still exist in our days: such mausoleums as Aulie-Ata, Baba-Ata, Aisha-Bibi, Karakhan, Arystanbab, the architecture and decorative ornaments of which still amaze people.
According to the population, towns in Kazakhstan are divided into:
Towns with the population of more than 300-400 thousand people (Karaganda, Shymkent, Pavlodar, Taraz, Ust-Kamenogorsk);
Towns with the population of 200-280 thousand people (Uralsk, Temirtau, Kostanai, Aktobe, Petropavlovsk, Semipalatinsk),
Towns with the population of 110-160 thousand people (Yekibastuz, Kyzylorda, Aktau, Kokshetau, Atyrau).
The largest group is constituted by the towns that have population less than 50 thousand people.
