Kostanay

Kostanay is a city located on the Tobol River in northern Kazakhstan. It was known as Nikolayevsk until 1895 and then as Kustanay until 1997. Kostanay is the administrative center of the Kostanay Region. Population:

Kostanay was founded by Russian settlers in 1879 and named Nikolaevsk, in honor of Tsar Nicholas II. In 1888, the town had more than 3,000 inhabitants involved in the building of a mill and a brewery, which is still operational. In 1893, the town was incorporated as a city. The Red Army took control in 1918 and changed the city's name to Kostanay. The Kostanay Region was established in 1936 with its administrative center in Kostanay. In 1989 the city had about 275,000 inhabitants.