# Altai

> town in Kazakhstan

**Wikidata**: [Q2139924](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2139924)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altai,_Kazakhstan)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/altai

## Summary
Altai, historically and natively known as Zyryanovsk (Зыряновск), is a city of district importance located in the East Kazakhstan region. Founded in 1791, it serves as the administrative capital of the Altai District within Zyryanovsk Qalasy. The city is situated at an elevation defined by the coordinates 49.7386°N, 84.2719°E and operates within the UTC+06:00 timezone.

## Key Facts
- **Administrative Status**: City of district importance; capital of Altai District.
- **Location**: Zyryanovsk Qalasy, Kazakhstan.
- **Coordinates**: 49.738611111111, 84.271944444444.
- **Inception**: 1791.
- **Earliest Written Record**: 1791-05-05.
- **Current Population**: 36,360 (2021 census).
- **Peak Population**: 56,206 (1970 census).
- **Country**: Kazakhstan (formerly Russian Empire, Soviet Union).
- **Postal Code**: 070800.
- **Timezone**: UTC+06:00.
- **Official Website**: http://akimzyrian.gov.kz
- **Cato ID**: 634820100.

## FAQs
**What are the different names for Altai?**
The city is officially named Altai but is natively and historically known as Zyryanovsk (Зыряновск). It has also been referred to as Zyrianovsk and 济良诺夫斯克 in Chinese.

**How has the population of Altai changed over the last century?**
The population has fluctuated significantly, starting at 3,241 in 1923, peaking at 56,206 in 1970, and declining to 36,360 by 2021.

**Where is Altai located administratively?**
Altai is located in the Zyryanovsk Qalasy of Kazakhstan and serves as the administrative capital of the surrounding Altai District.

## Why It Matters
Altai serves as a critical administrative hub within the East Kazakhstan region, functioning as the capital of the Altai District. Its demographic records, spanning from 1923 to 2021, provide a clear case study of urban population trends in Kazakhstan throughout the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, illustrating a boom in the mid-20th century followed by a gradual decline. The city maintains a digital presence through its official government portal and is extensively cataloged across international geographic and library databases.

## Notable For
- **Historical Continuity**: Possesses a documented history dating back to 1791, with a specific earliest written record from May 5, 1791.
- **Demographic Peak**: Reached a record population of 56,206 in 1970 during the Soviet era.
- **Administrative Role**: Functions as the seat of the Altai District government.
- **International Cataloging**: Indexed by major global authorities including the Library of Congress, Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names, and Encyclopædia Britannica.

## Body

### History and Nomenclature
Altai was officially founded in 1791, with the earliest specific written record occurring on May 5, 1791. While the official name is now Altai, the native label remains Зыряновск (Zyryanovsk). The city was previously known officially as Zyryanovsk until at least 2019. Historically, the settlement has existed under the jurisdiction of three successive sovereign states: the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and modern Kazakhstan.

### Demographics
The city has experienced significant demographic shifts over the last century:
- **1923**: 3,241
- **1939**: 16,156
- **1959**: 54,119
- **1970**: 56,206 (Peak)
- **1979**: 51,132
- **1989**: 52,900
- **1999**: 43,894
- **2009**: 39,320
- **2013**: 39,977
- **2021**: 36,360

### Governance and Administration
Altai is classified as a city and a city of district importance. It acts as the administrative center (capital) for the Altai District and falls under the broader administrative division of Zyryanovsk Qalasy. The local government maintains an official online presence at `akimzyrian.gov.kz`. The city's administrative identifiers include a Cato ID of 634820100.

### Geography and Infrastructure
The city is geographically positioned at latitude 49.738611111111 and longitude 84.271944444444. It operates on a UTC+06:00 timezone. Infrastructure details include a postal code system utilizing 070800.

### Visual Identity
The city utilizes specific heraldic and visual symbols, including a coat of arms accessible via Wikimedia Commons (`Coat_of_arms_of_Zyryanovsk.png`) and an official seal image (`Coat_of_Zyryan.jpg`). Photographic documentation of the cityscape is available through panoramic imagery hosted on Wikimedia Commons.

### Global Identifiers and Academic Classification
Altai is indexed in numerous international databases and encyclopedias:
- **Library Systems**: Library of Congress Authority ID (n2001119718), VIAF ID (130376869), National Library of Israel ID (987007494259305171).
- **Geographic Databases**: GeoNames ID (1516438), Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID (1061681), GNS Unique Feature ID (-2347294).
- **Encyclopedias**: Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (place/Zyryanovsk), Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (1997119), Online PWN Encyclopedia ID (4002627).
- **Digital Archives**: Freebase ID (/m/02vndh3), Who's on First ID (421205519), Yale Lux ID (place/b4de91b8-d415-409a-93f9-dd19d11ac673).

### Wikipedia and Wikimedia Presence
The entity has a sitelink count of 24 across various Wikipedia languages, including Arabic, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chechen, Czech, German, English, Persian, Finnish, French, Upper Sorbian, Kazakh, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Tajik, Tatar, Ukrainian, Uzbek, and Chinese. It is categorized under "Altai (Kazakhstan)" on Wikimedia Commons.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. 1979 Soviet census
3. 1989 Soviet census
4. Population Census in Kazakhstan (1999)
5. Source
6. GeoNames
7. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File