Almaty ( Kazakh : Ð Ð '' Ð 1\/4 Ð Ñ Ñ ; formerly known as Alma-Ata ( Ð Ð '' Ð 1\/4 Ð - Ð Ñ Ð ) , also Verniy , ( Ð ' Ð Ñ Ð 1\/2 Ñ Ð ) ) is the largest city in Kazakhstan . Almaty , also known by its former names Verny ( Russian : Ð ' Ð Ñ Ð 1\/2 Ñ Ð , `` Faithful , '' prior to 1921 ) and Alma-Ata ( , between 1921 and 1992 ) , is the former capital and still largest city in Kazakhstan , with a population of 1,348,500 ( as of 1 September 2008 ) .