Almaty (; formerly known as "Alma-Ata" (Алма-Ата), also "Verniy", (Верный)) is the largest city in Kazakhstan. It has a population of over 1,700,000 people (as of 2015). Eight percent of the population of the country live in Almaty. It was the capital of Kazakhstan from 1927 to 1998. Although it is not the capital today, Almaty is still the major commercial center of Kazakhstan.