Overview

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN KAZAKHSTAN ?

The Republic of Kazakhstan

The country’s capital was once called Astana, but it was renamed Nursultan in 2019 to celebrate the country’s first president who resigned that year.

Kazakhstan is ranked as the 9th largest country in the world, spreading across 2,724,900 km2 (1,052,089 sq mi).

The country borders several Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan), and also shares borders with the European continent. Thus, this vast country is located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. The total length of the Kazakh borders exceeds 12,012 km (7,463 miles).

Once a steppe country inhabited by nomadic Turkic horsemen, it was first part of the Russian Empire, then of the former USSR before becoming independent in December 16, 1991.

With a population of 19,245,793 million inhabitants (2020 data), Kazakhstan is the second most populous country in Central Asia after Uzbekistan. Kazakhs represent 68% of the population. Russians and Uzbeks are also important minorities in the country.

Almaty, the former capital of the country, accounts for most of the Kazakh history and is one of the most visited cities by travelers. Its current capital is Nursultan (formerly Astana), a modern city.

The official language is Kazakh. Russian is also a commonly spoken language in the country.

The Kazakh economy is mainly based on mining and agriculture.

The best time to visit Kazakhstan is from May to September. July, August and September are the best months for hiking in the mountains.