View source for Shymkent

{{Infobox settlement
| official_name           = Shymkent
| native_name             = Шымкент  <br> Чимкент
| image_skyline           = 
| image_caption           = 
| image_flag              =
| image_seal              =
| map_caption             =
| pushpin_map             = Kazakhstan
| pushpin_label_position  = top
| pushpin_mapsize         = 280
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location in Kazakhstan
| coordinates             = {{coord|42|19|0|N|69|35|45|E|region:KZ|display=inline}}
| subdivision_type        = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[Kazakhstan]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of Kazakhstan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[South Kazakhstan Region]]
| established_title       = Founded
| established_date        = 12th century
| government_type         =
| leader_title            = Akim {{small|([[mayor]])}}
| leader_name             = [[Darkhan Satybaldy]]
| area_total_km2          = 347
| area_land_km2           =
| elevation_footnotes     =
| elevation_m             = 506
| elevation_ft            = 1660
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="Est-2011-02-01">[http://www.ontustik.stat.kz/rus/index.php Estimation 2011-11-21] (in [[Russian language|rus.]])</ref>
| population_total        = 854 500<ref name="zakon">{{cite web|url=http://www.zakon.kz/4674078-o-razvitii-shymkenta-otchitalsja-akim.html|title=О развитии Шымкента отчитался аким города Дархан Сатыбалды|author=Курносова, Светлана.|publisher=zakon.kz|accessdate=2014-12-09}}</ref>
| population_as_of        = 2014 est.
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_blank1_title = Agglomeration
| population_blank1       = 1,400,000<ref name="adilet">{{Cite web|url= http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/P1100000862|title= Программа развития регионов |author= Министерство регионального развития республики Казахстан|archiveurl=|archivedate=}}</ref>
| timezone                = [[Bhutan Time|BTT]]
| utc_offset              = +6
| timezone_DST            =
| utc_offset_DST          =
| postal_code_type        = [[Postal code]]
| postal_code             = 160000
| area_code               = (+7) 7252
| registration_plate      = X
| website                 = {{URL|http://www.shymkent.ru/}}
| footnotes               =
}}
'''Shymkent''' ({{lang-kz|'''Шымкент'''/Şımkent}}, شىمكەنت), known until 1993 as ''Chimkent''<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Chimkent|volume=6|page=165}}</ref> ({{lang-uz|''Чимкент''}}, چىمكېنت; {{lang-ru|''Чимкент''}}), is the [[capital city]] of [[South Kazakhstan Region]], the most densely populated region in [[Kazakhstan]]. It is the third most populous city in Kazakhstan behind [[Almaty]] and [[Astana]] with an estimated population of 629,600 in 2011.<ref name="Est-2011-02-01"/> A major railroad junction on the [[Turkestan-Siberia Railway]], the city is also a notable cultural centre, with an [[Shymkent International Airport|international airport]]. Shymkent is situated {{convert|690|km|miles|-1}} west of Almaty and {{convert|120|km|miles}} to the north of [[Tashkent]], [[Uzbekistan]]. {{Kz-census2009|603,499|punct=;}} {{Kz-census1999|423,902|punct=.}}

==History==
Shymkent was founded in the twelfth century<ref>Peoples of central Asia. By Lawrence Krader. Published by Indiana University, 1971</ref> as a [[caravanserai]] to protect the [[Silk Road]] town of [[Sayram (city)|Sayram]], 10&nbsp;km to the east.  Shymkent grew as a market center for trade between Turkic nomads and the settled [[Sogdian people|Sogdians]]. It was destroyed several times: by Genghis Khan, soldiers from the southern Khanates, and by nomad attacks. In the early 19th century it became part of the khanate of Kokand.  It was captured by the Russians in 1864.<ref>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/111610/Shymkent</ref> It was renamed [[Chernyaev]] in 1914 and renamed ''Shymkent'' in 1924.  Following the Russian conquest, Shymkent was a city of trade between nomadic Turks and sedentary Turks, and was famous for its [[kumis]].<ref>Through Russian central Asia. By Stephen Graham. Published by The Macmillan Company, 1916</ref>

There was a [[gulag]] located near Shymkent, and many Russian-speaking people came to the area via imprisonment.<ref>The Gulag Archipelago, 1918–1956: an experiment in literary investigation. By Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn, H. T. Willetts, Thomas P. Whitney. Published by Westview Press, 1997</ref>

The name Chimkent comes from two [[Uzbek language|Uzbek]] words chim,meaning turf and kent (or kand), meaning city. Together, Chimkand or Chimkent for "city in the grass/turf."

After Kazakhstan gained independence, the city was renamed ''Shymkent'' in 1993 as part of the government’s campaign to apply [[Kazakhs|Kazakh]] names to cities. The formal spelling of Шымкент (Shymkent) as codified in Kazakhstan’s Constitution goes against the original Uzbek spelling rules of never having the letter "ы" follow the letter "ш". As a result, the new name Шымкент (Shymkent) is used only in Kazakhstan, while other countries continue to use the original spelling Чимкент (Chimkent).

In January 2015 Shymkent officials sent a request to [[UNESCO]] to be recognized as an ancient city.<ref name=Shymkent>{{cite web|title=Shymkent Seeks UNESCO Recognition As 2,200-Year-Old City|url=http://www.astanatimes.com/2015/01/shymkent-seeks-unesco-recognition-2200-year-old-city/|website=www.astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==Geography==

===Climate===
Shymkent features a borderline [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Csa'')/[[Continental Mediterranean climate|Dry-Summer Continental Climate]] (''Dsa'') climate, not unlike [[Eastern Washington]] or [[Northern Idaho]] but with much hotter summers. Shymkent features hot, relatively dry summers and cold winters. Winters here are noticeably warmer than in more northerly cities like [[Almaty]] and [[Astana]], with the mean monthly temperature during the city’s coldest month (January) averaging around {{convert|-1|C|F|1}}. Shymkent averages just under {{convert|600|mm|in|2}} of precipitation annually.

{{Weather box
| location     = Shymkent (1981–2010)
| metric first = Y
| single line  = Y
| Jan record high C = 22.2
| Feb record high C = 25.2
| Mar record high C = 30.7
| Apr record high C = 33.0
| May record high C = 37.8
| Jun record high C = 43.0
| Jul record high C = 42.6
| Aug record high C = 42.2
| Sep record high C = 39.2
| Oct record high C = 34.4
| Nov record high C = 30.5
| Dec record high C = 25.4
| year record high C = 43.0
| Jan high C = 4.1
| Feb high C = 6.6
| Mar high C = 12.9
| Apr high C = 19.2
| May high C = 25.1
| Jun high C = 30.0
| Jul high C = 32.7
| Aug high C = 32.1
| Sep high C = 27.2
| Oct high C = 18.8
| Nov high C = 12.1
| Dec high C = 6.0
| year high C = 18.9
| Jan mean C = -0.7
| Feb mean C = 1.6
| Mar mean C = 7.6
| Apr mean C = 13.6
| May mean C = 19.1
| Jun mean C = 23.7
| Jul mean C = 26.3
| Aug mean C = 25.3
| Sep mean C = 19.9
| Oct mean C = 12.3
| Nov mean C = 6.4
| Dec mean C = 0.9
| year mean C = 13.0
| Jan low C = -4.8
| Feb low C = -2.7
| Mar low C = 3.0
| Apr low C = 8.3
| May low C = 12.9
| Jun low C = 16.7
| Jul low C = 19.1
| Aug low C = 17.9
| Sep low C = 12.8
| Oct low C = 6.6
| Nov low C = 1.7
| Dec low C = -3.1
| year low C = 7.4
| Jan record low C = -31.1
| Feb record low C = -28.9
| Mar record low C = -23.9
| Apr record low C = -5.0
| May record low C = -2.8
| Jun record low C = 5.5
| Jul record low C = 7.8
| Aug record low C = 6.2
| Sep record low C = -1.1
| Oct record low C = -12.0
| Nov record low C = -30.0
| Dec record low C = -26.1
| year record low C = -31.1
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 73
| Feb precipitation mm = 70
| Mar precipitation mm = 83
| Apr precipitation mm = 69
| May precipitation mm = 56
| Jun precipitation mm = 16
| Jul precipitation mm = 12
| Aug precipitation mm = 4
| Sep precipitation mm = 10
| Oct precipitation mm = 41
| Nov precipitation mm = 67
| Dec precipitation mm = 75
| year precipitation mm = 576
| Jan humidity = 75
| Feb humidity = 73
| Mar humidity = 67
| Apr humidity = 63
| May humidity = 56
| Jun humidity = 44
| Jul humidity = 39
| Aug humidity = 34
| Sep humidity = 39
| Oct humidity = 55
| Nov humidity = 69
| Dec humidity = 75
| year humidity = 57
|Jan rain days = 5
|Feb rain days = 7
|Mar rain days = 9
|Apr rain days = 9
|May rain days = 9
|Jun rain days = 5
|Jul rain days = 4
|Aug rain days = 3
|Sep rain days = 3
|Oct rain days = 6
|Nov rain days = 6
|Dec rain days = 6
|year rain days = 72
|Jan snow days = 8
|Feb snow days = 7
|Mar snow days = 4
|Apr snow days = 0.3
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0.4
|Nov snow days = 3
|Dec snow days = 6
|year snow days = 29
| source 1 = Pogoda.ru.net<ref name="pogoda">{{cite web
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20161125143936/http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/38328.htm
| archivedate = 25 November 2016
| url = http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/38328.htm
| title = Weather and Climate - The Climate of Shymkent
| accessdate = 25 November 2016
| publisher = Weather and Climate (Погода и климат)
| language = Russian}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
*[[Kazakhs]] 64.76%
*[[Russians]] 14.52%
*[[Uzbeks]] 13.70%
*[[Tatars]] 1.54%
*Others 5.48% ([[Ukrainians]] 0.54%, [[Korea]]ns 1.00%)<ref>[http://www.stat.kz/publishing/DocLib4/2011/%D0%94%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D1%8F/12_2010-%D0%91-15-18-%D0%93.rar www.stat.kz]</ref>
According to the census of 2011, the city had 637,800 inhabitants.<ref>http://www.ontustik.stat.kz/rus/index.php</ref>

==Economy==
Formerly dominated by [[lead]] mining, industrial growth began in the 1930s.

A lead smelter was opened in Shymkent in 1934<ref name=AlJ>People & Power (TV programme), Al Jazeeera English, Robin Forestier, 20 February 2014</ref> or 1938.<ref>The USSR. By John C. Dewdney. Published by Dawson, 1976</ref> It supplied a major part of the USSR's metals needs, copper as well as lead and others, including three-quarters of all bullets fired by the Red Army. Smelting continued until 2008, causing extreme levels of pollution (lead, cadmium et al.) in the surrounding ground, and then controversially restarted in 2010, briefly, under a major UK-listed company, [[Kazakhmys]].<ref name=AlJ/>

The city also has industries producing refined [[zinc]], processed [[Karakul (sheep)|karakul]] pelts, textiles, foodstuffs, and pharmaceuticals. Also, the city has a medium-sized refinery, which is owned and operated by [[PetroKazakhstan]].

==Main sights==
A [[bicycle-sharing system]], [http://shymkentbike.kz/ Shymkent-bike], allows you to reach all main sights.
* Ordabasy circle, site of Friday Mosque and MIG Memorial
* Regional Studies and History Museum
* Victory Park
* Central Park
* Museum of Repression
* Afghan War Memorial
* Arboretum
* [[Nauryz]]/Navruz Holiday Celebrations over Spring Solstice
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Farabi_Square|Al-Farabi Square]]
* Mega Shopping Center

==Sport==
*[[FC Ordabasy]] - Superleague side
*[[BIIK Kazygurt]] - women's football team

==In popular culture==
In [[Command & Conquer: Generals]], Shymkent is the starting point of the GLA counterattack by destroying the Chinese presence and a local hydroelectric dam to flood out the Chinese outposts in the riverside.

==Twin cities==
{| class="wikitable" style="background:#ffffef; float:left;"
|-
! City
! Country
! Year
|-
| [[Stevenage]]
| {{flagicon|UK}} United Kingdom
|
|-
| [[İzmir]]
| {{flagicon|TUR}} Turkey
|
|-
| [[Adana]]
| {{flagicon|TUR}} Turkey
|
|-
| [[Mogilev]]
| {{flagicon|BLR}} Belarus
|
|-
| [[Grosseto]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} Italy
|
|-
| [[Pattaya]]
| {{flagicon|THA}} Thailand
|
|-
| [[Khujand]]
| {{flagicon|TJK}} Tajikistan
|
|}
{{clear}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Shymkent.JPG|View of the crossroads of Tauke-khan Avenue and Kunaev Bulevard from "Mega Center Shymkent" shopping mall 
File:Shymkent.jpeg|View on shopping mall in Shymkent, called ЦУМ in the Russian/Soviet style
File:Shymkent5.jpg|Fountains near the Central Department store (ЦУМ)
File:Shymkent6.jpg|Al-Farabi st., the view of the local Medical Academy
File:Shymkent7.jpg|Turkestan st. (улица Туркестанская)
File:KazakhMountains.jpg|Mountains on the outskirts of Shymkent
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Shymkent}}
{{wikivoyage|Shymkent}}
*[http://www.shymkent.com shymkent.com]
*[http://www.shymkent.ru shymkent.ru]
*[http://www.shymkentonline.com shymkentonline.com]
*[http://www.chimkent.kz chimkent.kz]
*[http://www.shymkent.kz shymkent.kz]

{{South Kazakhstan Region}}
{{Cities of Kazakhstan}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Central Asia]]
[[Category:Populated places along the Silk Road]]
[[Category:Populated places in South Kazakhstan Region]]
[[Category:Syr-Darya Oblast]]
[[Category:Shymkent| ]]