'Blue Mountain'), formerly known as Kokchetav (/ˌkɒktʃɪˈtæv/; Russian: Кокчетав [kəktɕe'taf]) between 1868 and 1993, is a lakeside city in northern Kazakhstan and the capital of Akmola Region.

That is how from ancient times Kazakhs were calling the highest mountain in Akmola Region "Mount Kokshe" (947 m), located 60 miles away from the city.

The village of Krasny Yar lies adjoined directly to the west of Kokshetau, on the bank of the River Shagalaly.

Typically, the city's Lake Kopa and rivers of Kylshakty and Shagalaly are frozen over between the second week of November and the beginning of April.

Kokshetau city administration (Kazakh: Kökşetau qalasy äkımdıgı, Russian: Городская администрация Кокшетау) (area of 425 km2 [164 sq mi]), with a population of roughly 193,492 residents, includes one settlement administration and the Krasnoyarsk rural district, which includes two rural settlements, served by the city public transport system.

On the eastern side of Abai Street on Abylai Khan Square sits the Akmola Regional Akimat, in a modern cream and brown-toned building.

The mayor also functions to help devise long-term development plans in consultation with other stakeholders and bodies to improve the condition, livability, and sustainability of the city.

The territory of Kokshetau was part of the Middle Horde, the clans of the tribal union of the Argyns that occupied vast regions of Northern and Central Kazakhstan.

As Russia's hand stretched southwards, Kokshetau was initially founded on 29 April 1824 as an administrative outpost at the foot of the southern side of Mount Kokshe on the shores of Lake Ulken Shabakty.

The construction of the settlement began at the foot of Bukpa Hill, on the southern shores of Lake Kopa, and a picket was set up to protect the district order.

In 1868, when the Akmolinsk Oblast was formed, Kokshetau became a district city in this region, which further developed as a center of agricultural and animal husbandry and as a resort town.

On 16 March 1944, according to the Decree of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of Kazakh SSR, Kokshetau became the administrative center of the newly created Kokchetav Oblast.

Kokshetau's major theaters are: The city organises many public celebrations that greatly attract the locals as well as the visitors.

In autumn 1941, the Podolskiy Sewing Machines Plant, two factories from the city of Ordzhonikidze and military hospitals were evacuated to Kokshetau.

Kokshetau Oblast had really started developing as the machine factories and other industries grew, and the numerous rest homes, sanatoria, and holiday spots were set up.

From Ekibastuz to Kokshetau runs an overhead power line designed for a transmission voltage of 1,150 kV, the Ekibastuz-Kokshetau powerline.

The city transport in Kokshetau consists of a network of buses, minibuses (marshrutka; which are GAZelle light commercial vehicles) and taxis that are available 24 hours a day.

In the square between the bus and railway stations gather a range of taxis and minibuses offering to take you to Astana or Petropavl.

Frequent schedules of bus routes connect Kokshetau to Astana, Petropavl,[80] Zerenda, Burabay, Karaganda, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Tobolsk, Tyumen and Kurgan.

It is located 12.5 km (7.8 mi) north-east from the centre of city, on the route to Omsk, and used to be the headquarters of now-defunct Air Kokshetau.

The Kokshetau International Airport, which opened in 1945, was significantly upgraded in 2013 with a new 2850-metre runway capable of accommodating all aircraft types without any restrictions.

West of the centre many attractive single-storey log-built houses survive, usually featuring painted wooden shutters.

The latter sits opposite a small Kokshetau City History Museum (32 Kanay-bi Street), itself housed in a single-storey wooden building.

The city's apartment houses are called “Khrushchyovka” and “Stalinka” due to the peculiarities of architectural approaches in their construction.

In Kokshetau, the locals have a name for this high-priced neighborhood of single-family homes, "Small America" or "Khassen's Cottages".

When the Soviet Union crumbled and Kazakhstan became an independent country in 1991, the city's construction trust-turned-business began to put a face on their buildings.

The location of Kokshetau itself, is an inspiring factor for the foreigners to visit the city in order to enjoy the view of the Mount Kokshe.

[102] Many renowned brands have a presence at the centre including LC Waikiki, Beeline Kazakhstan, Miniso, Koton and Detsky Mir.

[103] Attracting over 800,000 visitors a year, the centre's retail areas contain shops (including eateries) from chain stores up to high-end boutiques.

Kokshetau is home to a large number of parks, recreation areas and open spaces, mainly established in the early years of the Independence and well maintained and expanded thereafter.