Turkistan (Kazakh: Түркістан), formerly known as Turkestan (Russian: Туркестан) - is a city in South Kazakhstan Region of Kazakhstan, near the Syr Darya river. It is situated 160 km (100 mi) north-west of Shymkent on the Trans-Aral Railway between Kyzylorda to the north and Tashkent to the south. Population: 142,899 (2009 Census results); 102,505 (1999 Census results).