Taraz (formerly Zhambyl or Dzhambul) is a city and a center of oblystar in Kazakhstan. It is located in the South of Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan. It has been a populated area for a long time and in the 5th Century it was located on a caravan route between Europe and China. In the 8th and 9th centuries it was under the control of the Arabs but only 400 years later in the 13th Century it fell and was ravaged by the invading Mongol army.

It is located on the Turkistan-Siberian Railroad and its economy is primarily based on agriculture such as cotton production. In the city itself processed food, fertilizer, textiles, and metal products are manufactured.

Near Taraz are two mausoleums from the 11th and 12th centuries.

It was officially found in 1864. It was called Aulie-Ata until 1936 and then Mirzoyan until 1938, when it was renamed for the Kazakh poet Zhambyl Zhabayev. The original name was restored in 1997.

The Battle of Talas (751) is believed to have been fought in today Kyrgyzstan, southeast of Taraz.

It is located on the Talas (Taraz) river and it's population is about 300,000 (1993 estimate.)