Aqmola, formerly (until 1961) AKMOLINSK, or (1961-92) TSELINOGRAD, city, north-central Kazakhstan. In 1994 the Kazak government resolved to transfer the national capital from Almaty to Aqmola over a period of several years. Aqmola (meaning "White Grave" in Kazak) lies along the Ishim River at the junction of the Trans-Kazakhstan and South Siberian railways. It was founded in 1824 as a Russian military outpost and became an administrative centre in 1868. Its population had reached 33,000 when it was made an oblast (province) centre in 1939. The city's importance was greatly enhanced by the Soviet Virgin and Idle Lands ("tselinah") Campaign in the mid-1950s--Tselinograd was Russian for "City of the Virgin Lands"--and by the city's role as capital of a kray (region) that united the five northern oblasti of the Kazakh S.S.R. in 1960- 65. There was much new construction and the setting up of various research and higher educational institutions (teacher training, agriculture, medicine, and engineering and construction). Much of the population is employed by the railways. Various types of agricultural machinery are also produced. Pop. (1993 est.) 287,000.