Aktobe (Kazakh: Ақтөбе / Aqtöbe / اقتٶبه ), formerly known as Aktyubinsk (Russian: Актюбинск, until 1999), is a city on the Ilek River in Kazakhstan. It is the administrative center of Aktobe Province. Population: 345,687 (2009 Census results);253,088 (1999 Census results).