Jambyl Province (Kazakh: Жамбыл облысы, Jambıl oblısı) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Taraz. The population of the province is 1,000,000; the city is 335,100. The province borders Kyrgyzstan, and is very near Uzbekistan(all to the south). Jambyl also borders three other provinces: Karagandy Province(to the north), South Kazakhstan Province(to the west) and Almaty Province(to the east). The total area is 144,200 square kilometers. The province borders Lake Balkhash to its northeast. The province (and its capital during the Soviet era) was named after the Kazakh akyn (folk singer) Jambyl Jabayev.