Semey

Semey (?????, sometimes transliterated as Semij or Semei) is a city in north eastern Kazakhstan, near the border with Siberia. It was known as Semipalatinsk (?????????????) until 1994; like a number of Kazak cities, the name was changed in the period following Kazakhstan gaining independence in 1991. It is a city in the Shyghys Qazaqstan oblysy. It is located at {{coor dm|50|26|N|80|16|E|region:KZ_type:city(400,000)}}, around 1000km north of Almaty, and 700km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk, along the Irtysh River.

Population

• 1881 17,820
• 1897 26,353
• 1995 320,200 (est.)