Kazakhstan is a country.
Almaty [ ˈælməti ] ( Алматы , Almatı [ ɑlmɑˈtə ] Алматы ) , formerly known as Alma-Ata [ ˌælmə.əˈtɑ : ] and Verny ( Верный / Verný ) , is the largest city in Kazakhstan , with a population of 1,703,481 people , containing 9 % of the country 's total population . Kazakhstan . Respublika Kazakhstan ) , is a transcontinental country in northern Central Asia and Eastern Europe . The capital is Astana , where it was moved in 1997 from Almaty , the country 's largest city .