Abai Region Abai oblysy (Kazakh) Абайская область (Russian)
Region
From the top, Semipalatinsk Test Site, Semey, Kurchatov
Seal
Map of Kazakhstan, location of Abai Region highlighted
Country	Kazakhstan
Administrative center	Semey
Established	8 June 2022
Government
• Äkim	Berik Uali [ru][1]
Area
• Total	185,500 km2 (71,600 sq mi)
Population  (2021)
• Total	638,300[2]
GDP (Nominal, 2024) [3]
• Total	KZT 3,190 billion (US$ 6.698 billion) · 16th
• Per capita	KZT 5,270,200 (US$ 11,067)
Time zone	UTC+5

Abai Region (Kazakh: Абай облысы, romanized: Abai oblysy, pronounced [ɑˈbɑj wobləˈsə]) is a region of Kazakhstan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on 16 March 2022 that the region would be created. The area split off from East Kazakhstan Region when Tokayev's bill came into force on 8 June 2022. The administrative center of the region is Semey, until 2007 known as "Semipalatinsk". Its borders roughly correspond to the old Semipalatinsk Region which was abolished in 1997 and merged with East Kazakhstan Region.^[4]

Geography

The city of Semey is the administrative center of the region of Abai. The Region of Abai borders East Kazakhstan Region and Xinjiang to the east, Pavlodar Region and Altai Krai to the north, Karaganda Region to the west and Jetisu Region to the south.

Districts

The region consists of the cities of Kurchatov and Semey, as well as the following 10 districts:^[5][6]

1. Abai District, with the administrative center in the selo of Karauyl;
2. Aksuat District, the village of Aksuat;
3. Ayagoz District, the town of Ayagoz;
4. Beskaragay District, the village of Beskaragay;
5. Borodulikha District, the village of Borodulikha;
6. Zharma District, the village of Kalbatau;
7. Kokpekti District, the village of Kokpekti;
8. Urzhar District, the village of Urzhar;
9. Makanshi District, the village of Makanshi;
10. Zhanasemey District, the city of Semey.

Etymology

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (June 2025)

The region was named after the Kazakh aqyn Abai Qunanbaiuly, who was born in what is now the Abai Region.

References

External links

• Media related to Abai Region at Wikimedia Commons
• Bronze Age Monument Dedicated to Horse Cult found (near Toktamys, 676 km southeast of Astana)