View source for Semey

{{More citations needed|date=January 2024}}{{Short description|City in Abai Region, Kazakhstan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Semey
| native_name        = {{native name|kk|Семей}}
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Kazakhstan|City]]
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
 | photo1a =  Abay museum in Semey.jpg
 | photo3b = Revolution Monument Semey.JPG{{!}}
 | photo2a = 2-minaret mosque in Semey.jpg{{!}}
 | photo2b = Semey - panoramio.jpg{{!}}
 | photo3a = Mosque Semey.jpg{{!}}
 | photo4a = Semey Medicine Academy.jpg{{!}}
| color = white
 | color_border = white
 | position = center
 | spacing = 2
 | size = 266
 | foot_montage =
}}
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = Semey Coat of Arms.jpg
| image_map          = 
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = Kazakhstan
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize    = 280
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Kazakhstan
| subdivision_type   = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Kazakhstan|Region]]
| subdivision_type2  = Urban okres
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Kazakhstan}}
| subdivision_name1  = [[Abai Region]]
| subdivision_name2  = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| established_title2 = Founded
| established_date2  = 1718
| established_title3 = Incorporated ([[city]])
| established_date3  = 1782
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Acting Akim <small>([[mayor]])</small>
| leader_name        = [[Adlet Kozhenbayev]]<ref>{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/adlet-kojanbaev-izbran-novyim-akimom-semeya-583184|title=Адлет Кожанбаев избран новым акимом Семея|website=tengrinews.kz|date=2025-10-14|access-date=}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_total_km2     = 210
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_sq_mi   = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 
| area_urban_km2     = 
| area_metro_km2     = 
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| population_as_of   = Nov 1, 2024
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 312 764
| population_urban   = 
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| population_density_km2 = 
| timezone           = [[Time in Kazakhstan]]
| utc_offset         = +5
| timezone_DST       = 
| utc_offset_DST     = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|50|26|0|N|80|16|0|E|region:KZ|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal code]]
| postal_code        = F1*****
| area_code          = +7 7222
| registration_plate = U, 16
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}
[[File:Semey Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Bridge in Semey,<ref>[http://wikimapia.org/148785/ The New bridge in Semey on Wikimapia]</ref> 2007]]
[[File:Landsat semei.jpg|thumb|right|220px|NASA satellite photo of Semey]]
'''Semey''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ɪ|ˈ|m|eɪ|,_|s|ɛ|-}}; {{langx|kk|Семей / Semei}} {{IPA|kk|sʲɪˈmʲej|}} {{Pronunciation|Kk-semey.ogg|listen|(|help=no}}, formerly known as '''Semipalatinsk''' ({{langx|ru|Семипалатинск}} {{IPA|ru|sʲɪmʲɪpɐˈɫatʲɪnsk|}}) until 2007 and as '''Alash-Qala''' ({{langx|kk|Алаш-қала / Alaş-qala}} {{IPA|kk|ɑˌɫɑʃ‿qɑˈɫɑ|}}) from 1917 to 1920, is a city in eastern [[Kazakhstan]], in the Kazakh part of [[Siberia]]. When [[Abai Region]] was created in 2022, Semey became its administrative centre. It lies along the [[Irtysh River]] near the border with [[Russia]], {{convert|1000|km|sp=us}} north of [[Almaty]] and {{convert|700|km|sp=us}} southeast of the Russian city of [[Omsk]]. Its population is 312,764 (stat.gov.kz).

==History==
[[File:Mosque Semey.jpg|thumb|[[Tatar Mosque of Semey]], 2009]]
The first Russian settlement in the area dates from 1718, when [[Tsardom of Russia|Russia]] built a fort beside the river [[Irtysh River|Irtysh]], near the ruins of an ancient [[Buddhist]] monastery, where seven buildings could be seen. The fort (and later the city) was named ''Semipalatinsk'' ([[Russian language|Russian]] for "Seven-Chambered City") after the monastery. The fort suffered frequent flooding caused by snowmelt swelling the Irtysh.

In 1778 the fort was relocated {{convert|18|km}} upstream to less flood-prone ground.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} A small city developed around the fort, and largely served the river trade between the nomadic peoples of [[Central Asia]] and the growing [[Russian Empire]]. The construction of the [[Turkestan-Siberia Railway]] in the early 20th century added to the city's importance, making it a major point of transit between Central Asia and Siberia. On 19 May 1854, Semipalatinsk was designated as the capital of the [[Semipalatinsk Oblast, Russia|Semipalatinsk Oblast]] within the Russian Empire.

Between 1917 and 1920, the city operated as the capital of the largely unrecognized [[Alash Autonomy]], a state (1917–1920) established after the outbreak of the [[October Revolution]] in Russia. The city was called '''Alash-qala''' during the Alash Autonomy years. [[Red Army]] forces loyal to [[Petrograd]] took control of the area in 1920. It was the center of the {{Interlanguage link multi|Semipalatinsk Governorate|ru|3=Семипалатинская губерния}} until 17 January 1928, then of the [[East Kazakhstan Oblast]] between 17 January 1928 and 14 October 1939 and finally of the [[Semipalatinsk Oblast, Kazakhstan|Semipalatinsk Oblast]] between 1939 and 1997.

In 1949 the [[Soviet atomic bomb project|Soviet atomic bomb programme]] selected a site on the [[steppe]] {{convert|180|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of the city as the location for its weapons testing. For decades, [[Kurchatov, Kazakhstan|Kurchatov]] (the secret city at the heart of the test range named for [[Igor Kurchatov]], father of the Soviet atomic bomb) was home to many of the brightest stars of Soviet weapons science. The [[Soviet Union]] operated the [[Semipalatinsk Test Site]] (STS) from the first explosion in 1949 until 1989; 456 nuclear tests, including 340 underground and 116 atmospheric tests, took place there.<ref>Vakulchuk, R., Gjerde, K., Belikhina, T. and Apsalikov, K. 2014. Semipalatinsk nuclear testing: the humanitarian consequences. Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Oslo. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323116670</ref>

Some land around Semey has suffered environmental and health effects from the time of its atomic prosperity: nuclear fallout from the atmospheric tests and uncontrolled exposure of the workers, some of whom lived in the area close to the testsite, have resulted in high rates of [[cancer]], childhood [[leukemia]], and [[birth defect]]s among the residents of neighbouring villages.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/08/30/btsc.chance.nukes/index.html "Inside the nuclear underworld: Deformity and fear"], [[CNN]], retrieved 2007-08-31</ref>

Modern Semey, a bustling university town, has a population exceeding 350,000. Because of its proximity to the Kazakh border with the Russian Federation, and the large scientific community attached to the STS labs and the university, which includes many Russians, Semey is said to have a more Russian character than other cities in Kazakhstan.

[[Semipalatinsk Oblast, Kazakhstan|Semipalatinsk Oblast]] merged with the larger [[East Kazakhstan Region]], whose capital city is [[Oskemen]], on 23 May 1997.

The [[Semey Bridge]], a suspension bridge across the Irtish River, connects the two major parts of Semey. It has a main span of {{convert|750|m}} and a total length of {{Convert|1086|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0001312 |title= Semipatalinsk Irtysh River Bridge (2002)  |work= en.structurae.de  |access-date= 16 August 2011}}
</ref> Construction began in 1998 and the bridge opened to traffic in November 2000.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jica.go.jp/english/our_work/evaluation/oda_loan/post/2007/pdf/project39_full.pdf | title=Irtysh River Bridge Construction Project / Field Survey | publisher=Japan International Cooperation Agency | date=September 2006 | access-date=8 January 2016 }}</ref>

In 2007 the Semipalatinsk City Council voted unanimously in favour of changing the name of the city to ''Semey''. The Chairman said that existing name had negative associations because of the extensive atomic testing there.<ref>
{{cite web
| url             =  http://lenta.ru/news/2007/06/19/name/
| title           = Семипалатинск исчезнет с карты Казахстана [Semipalatinsk disappears from the map of Kazakhstan]
| date            = 2007-06-19
| department      = Byvshiy SSSR [The former USSR]
| website         = Lenta.ru
| access-date     = 2015-09-10
| quote           = Депутаты городского собрания Семипалатинска единогласно проголосовали за переименование города в Семей. [...] 'Прежнее название немного отпугивало инвесторов, так как ассоциировалось с полигоном. [...]', - пояснил решение депутатов председатель сессии горсовета Куат Мирашев. [The representatives of the city corporation of Semipalatinsk voted unanimously for renaming the city as Cemey. 'The former name rather discouraged investors, since it was associated with the [atomic] test-site. [...]', said the chairman of the session of the city council, Kuat Mirashev, in explaining the decision.]
}}
</ref>

In March 2022, Semey was selected by [[President of Kazakhstan|President]] [[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev|Tokayev]] as the prospective capital of the new [[Abai Region]]. This came into force on 8 June 2022 when Abai Region became an official [[Regions of Kazakhstan|Region of Kazakhstan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=В Казахстане появится четыре новых региона|url=https://www.interfax.ru/world/828462 |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=Interfax.ru |language=ru}}</ref>

==Climate==
Semey has a cold [[semi-arid climate]], with warm summers and very cold winters. Precipitation is low for the whole year, except for July which has an average of {{convert|50|mm|in}} compared to less than {{convert|30|mm|in}} in other months. Snow is common, though light, in winter. The lowest temperature on record is {{convert|-48.6|°C|°F}}, recorded in November 1910, and the highest temperature is {{convert|42.5|°C|°F}}, recorded in August 2002.<ref name="pogoda" />

{{Weather box
|location = Semey (1991–2020, extremes 1854–present) 
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|width = auto
|Jan record high C = 7.2
|Feb record high C = 7.2
|Mar record high C = 24.5
|Apr record high C = 33.9
|May record high C = 37.5
|Jun record high C = 39.5
|Jul record high C = 42.1
|Aug record high C = 42.5
|Sep record high C = 38.9
|Oct record high C = 30.0
|Nov record high C = 21.0
|Dec record high C = 7.8
|year record high C = 42.5
|Jan high C = -10.3
|Feb high C = -7.6
|Mar high C = 0.4
|Apr high C = 14.3
|May high C = 22.1
|Jun high C = 27.4
|Jul high C = 28.5
|Aug high C = 27.0
|Sep high C = 20.5
|Oct high C = 12.1
|Nov high C = 0.3
|Dec high C = -7.1
|year high C = 10.6
|Jan mean C = -15.1
|Feb mean C = -13.2
|Mar mean C = -5.0
|Apr mean C = 7.5
|May mean C = 14.8
|Jun mean C = 20.5
|Jul mean C = 21.7
|Aug mean C = 19.6
|Sep mean C = 12.7
|Oct mean C = 5.4
|Nov mean C = -4.5
|Dec mean C = -11.5
|year mean C = 4.4
|Jan low C = -20.2
|Feb low C = -19.1
|Mar low C = -10.4
|Apr low C = 0.6
|May low C = 6.8
|Jun low C = 12.8
|Jul low C = 14.7
|Aug low C = 11.9
|Sep low C = 5.0
|Oct low C = -0.5
|Nov low C = -8.9
|Dec low C = -16.2
|year low C = -2.0
|Jan record low C = −47.2
|Feb record low C = -45.3
|Mar record low C = −38.9
|Apr record low C = -26.1
|May record low C = -9.9
|Jun record low C = -1.1
|Jul record low C = 3.9
|Aug record low C = -1.0
|Sep record low C = -8.2
|Oct record low C = -20.8
|Nov record low C = −48.6
|Dec record low C = −45.8
|year record low C = -48.6
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 16.4
|Feb precipitation mm = 17.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 19.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 16.7
|May precipitation mm = 27.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 34.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 50.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 26.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 16.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 22.5
|Nov precipitation mm = 27.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 24.7
|year precipitation mm = 
|Jan snow depth cm = 17
|Feb snow depth cm = 21
|Mar snow depth cm = 12
|Apr snow depth cm = 0
|May snow depth cm = 0
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 0
|Nov snow depth cm = 3
|Dec snow depth cm = 11
|year snow depth cm = 21
|Jan rain days = 1
|Feb rain days = 1
|Mar rain days = 3
|Apr rain days = 9
|May rain days = 13
|Jun rain days = 12
|Jul rain days = 15
|Aug rain days = 12
|Sep rain days = 10
|Oct rain days = 11
|Nov rain days = 6
|Dec rain days = 1
|year rain days = 94
|Jan snow days = 18
|Feb snow days = 18
|Mar snow days = 14
|Apr snow days = 4
|May snow days = 0.4
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0.03
|Sep snow days = 0.1
|Oct snow days = 5
|Nov snow days = 14
|Dec snow days = 19
|year snow days = 93
|Jan humidity = 75
|Feb humidity = 75
|Mar humidity = 76
|Apr humidity = 59
|May humidity = 53
|Jun humidity = 53
|Jul humidity = 60
|Aug humidity = 59
|Sep humidity = 60
|Oct humidity = 67
|Nov humidity = 74
|Dec humidity = 75
|year humidity = 66
|Jan sun = 108
|Feb sun = 139
|Mar sun = 199
|Apr sun = 243
|May sun = 303
|Jun sun = 335
|Jul sun = 342
|Aug sun = 307
|Sep sun = 242
|Oct sun = 144
|Nov sun = 111
|Dec sun = 94
|year sun = 2567
|Jand sun = 3.5
|Febd sun = 4.9
|Mard sun = 6.4
|Aprd sun = 8.1
|Mayd sun = 9.8
|Jund sun = 11.2
|Juld sun = 11.0
|Augd sun = 9.9
|Sepd sun = 8.1
|Octd sun = 4.6
|Novd sun = 3.7
|Decd sun = 3.0
|yeard sun = 7.0
|source 1 = Pogoda.ru.net<ref name="pogoda">{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161125144250/http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/36177.htm
| archive-date = 25 November 2016
| url = http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/36177.htm
| title = Weather and Climate - The Climate of Semipalatinsk (Semey)
| access-date = 4 January 2022
| publisher = Weather and Climate (Погода и климат)
| language = ru}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[NOAA]] (sun, 1961–1990),<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/TABLES/REG_II/KS/36177.TXT
| title = Semipalatinsk Climate Normals 1961–1990
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = 25 November 2016
| archive-date = 4 January 2022
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220104142417/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/TABLES/REG_II/KS/36177.TXT
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (daily sun 1961-1990)<ref>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_361770_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Semipalatinsk / Kasachstan
| publisher = Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure
| access-date = September 17, 2016}}
</ref>}}

== Transportation ==
Semey is situated at the [[Turkestan–Siberia Railway]] and offers connections to [[Almaty]] (former [[Alma-Ata]]), [[Barnaul]], and [[Novosibirsk]], among others.

The city has a museum to commemorate [[Abay Qunanbayuli]].

Both a museum and a street are named after Dostoyevsky. The Museum of F. M. Dostoevsky in Semey was opened on 7 May 1971. It was established by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the [[Kazakh SSR]] N 261. Of the seven museums devoted to Dostoevsky, this is the only one located outside Russia.

==Population==
{|class=wikitable
!Year!!Population
|-
|1881 ||17,820
|-
|1897 ||26,353
|-
|1910 ||34,400
|-
|1926 ||56,100
|-
|1939 ||109,700
|-
|1959 ||149,800
|-
|1979 ||270,400
|-
|1989 ||317,100
|-
|1999 ||269,600
|-
|2009 ||299,264
|-
|2022||350 967
|-
|2024||312 764
|}

==Higher education==

Semey is famous for its intellectual medical community with leading [[Semey Medical University]] which provides the region and the country with highly professional health specialists.

==Notable residents==
*[[Pavel Bazhov]] (1879–1950), writer and publicist
*[[Fyodor Dostoevsky]] (1821–1881), novelist
*[[Wladimir Klitschko]] (born 1976), Ukrainian boxer
*[[Stanislav Kurilov]] (1936–1998), oceanographer, defector
*[[Sergey Letov]] (born 1956), Russian musician
*[[Vladimir Lisitsin]] (1938–1971), footballer
*[[Abai Qunanbaiuly]] (1845–1904), poet, composer, and philosopher 
*[[Ninety One (group)|Zaq]] (born 1996), singer and a member of Kazakh boyband [[Ninety One (group)|Ninety One]]

==International relations==
{{see also|List_of_twin_towns_and_sister_cities_in_Asia#Kazakhstan|l1=List of twin towns and sister cities in Kazakhstan}}

===Twin towns and sister cities===
Semey is [[twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
*{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Ypres]], [[Belgium]]

==See also==
*[[Anti-nuclear movement in Kazakhstan]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Semey}}

*[http://www.akimsemey.gov.kz Official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712072356/http://akimsemey.gov.kz/ |date=12 July 2014 }}
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/533881/Semey Britannica.com]

{{Abai Region}}
{{Cities of Kazakhstan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Semey| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1718]]
[[Category:Populated places in Abai Region]]
[[Category:Science and technology in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Semipalatinsk Oblast]]
[[Category:1718 establishments in Russia]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Irtysh River]]
[[Category:Alash Autonomy]]