Unique Kazakhstan Experiences You Won't Want to Miss

Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Қазақстан, Qazaqstan; Russian: Казахстан, Kazakhstan), officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia and the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory spans Central Asia and Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the west. Its capital is Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana, renamed in 2019), and its largest city is Almaty. ### Basic Information: - **Area**: Approximately 2.7249 million square kilometers (the ninth largest country in the world). - **Population**: Approximately 19 million (2023 data). - **Official Languages**: Kazakh is the national language, and Russian is the official language. - **Currency**: Kazakhstani tenge (KZT). - **Religion**: Primarily Islam (Sunni), with some Orthodox Christianity and other religions. ### History: Historically, Kazakhstan was home to nomadic peoples and was influenced by the Mongol Empire, the Russian Empire, and the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan declared its independence and became a sovereign state. ### Economy: Kazakhstan's economy is primarily based on energy and mineral resources, with abundant reserves of oil, natural gas, uranium, coal, and metal ores. It is one of the world's largest uranium producers and a major oil exporter. In recent years, Kazakhstan has been committed to economic diversification, developing agriculture, manufacturing, and technology industries. ### Politics: Kazakhstan has a presidential system. The first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, held office for a long period from independence until his resignation in 2019. The current president is Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. ### Culture: Kazakh culture is deeply influenced by nomadic traditions, Islam, and Russian culture. Traditional music, dance, handicrafts, and cuisine (such as horse meat and dairy products) are important parts of its culture. Nauryz is an important traditional festival celebrated annually. ### Geography: Kazakhstan has a diverse topography, including steppes, deserts (such as the Kyzylkum Desert), mountains (such as the Tian Shan Mountains), and lakes (such as Lake Balkhash). The climate is a typical continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters. ### International Relations: Kazakhstan is a member of several international organizations, including the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). It maintains close cooperative relations with China, Russia, the European Union, and other countries. If you need more detailed information, we can explore further!