Taraz (Kazakh/Russian: Тараз), formerly Dzhambul (Russian: ДжамбуÌл, Kazakh: ЖамбыÌл), and Aulie-Ata (Kazakh: ӘулиеÌ-Ðта, Russian: ÐулиеÌ-Ðта, Chagatai: اولياه اتا) is a city and a center of the Zhambyl Province in Kazakhstan. It is located in the South of Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, on the Talas River (Taraz River). It has a population of 330,100 (1999 census), up 9% from 1989, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, after Astana and Türkistan.