How Much Do Kazakhstan’s Cities Spend on Their Largest National Flags?

Cities across Kazakhstan spend tens of millions of tenge each year maintaining their main national flags.  Orda.kz examined the exact costs, technical details and reasons behind the spending.

Astana spends the most. The Nura District Akim’s Office said maintaining the capital’s main flag and purchasing replacement flags cost 23.9 million tenge in 2024 and 20.8 million in 2025. Another 24.9 million tenge was allocated for 2026.

Astana’s flag is the largest in the country. Its 111-meter flagpole carries a flag measuring 30 by 15 meters. The flag covers 450 square meters, weighs about 100 kilograms and costs 2.12 million tenge to replace. KomJolStroy LLP is responsible for maintaining the site in 2026.

 Shymkent spends less, although its flag must be replaced frequently because the fabric wears out quickly in the wind and changing weather. The city’s Internal Policy Department said maintaining the flagpole on Independence Square cost 8 million tenge in 2024 and 11 million in 2025. Following a procurement process, 8.5 million tenge was allocated for 2026.

The Shymkent flag was replaced 20 times over the previous two years, with nine more replacements planned for 2026.

The flag measures 16 by eight meters and is made from Polytex, a special mesh fabric designed for outdoor use. Each replacement costs around 900,000 tenge. The remaining money covers work at height, electric motor repairs and cable maintenance. Karaganda Korkem LLP is servicing the site this year.

In Almaty, the city’s main flag flies in the mountains at the Medeu high-altitude sports complex. The akimat allocated 9 million tenge for its maintenance in 2024, 14 million in 2025 and 12 million for 2026.

The flag measures seven by 14 meters. Almatygoroformleniye LLP is responsible for its production, installation and maintenance this year.

The situation is different at State Symbols Square in Pavlodar. The akimat said sponsors fully cover the cost of maintaining the flagpole and purchasing replacement flags. No money is allocated from the city budget.

Pavlodar’s flag also measures seven by 14 meters. The site does not have dedicated security, and the city spends no additional budget funds on its protection.

The flags are monitored differently in each city. Authorized services oversee the flag in Astana. Shymkent’s square has round-the-clock security and cameras connected to the police department, while Medeu also has video surveillance.

Minor damage still occasionally occurs around the flagpoles, usually because of careless parking or snow-clearing equipment.

Original author: Eva Golovintseva

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