Kentau

This Soviet-era mining town at the foot of the Karatau mountains in Kazakhstan's Turkestan region, Kentau was established in 1952 and retains a notable stock of Soviet architecture and monumental art. Founded to serve the mines and initially settled with exiles from across the USSR, the town carries an unusually layered demographic history. UNESCO World Heritage sites lie within the wider region, and the city of Turkestan is a short drive away.

• Population57,408
• Nearest water from center 2.7 km1.7 mi
• Nearest mountain from center 13 km7.9 mi