57 Facts About Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, also known as Kazakstan, is a Central Asian country officially known as the Republic of Kazakhstan, or Kazakh Qazaqstan Respublikas.

It is bounded on the northwest and north by Russia, on the east by China, and on the south by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, the Aral Sea, and Turkmenistan; on the southwest by the Caspian Sea.

Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia and the ninth-largest in the world.

The country's capital, Nur-Sultan (previously Astana, Aqmola, and Tselinograd), is located in the north-central region.

Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union on December 16, 1991.

Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, covering an area larger than all of Western Europe. Despite this, it maintains a subdued navy.

Kazakhstan has a spacecraft launch facility. Not just any space launch facility, but the world's first and largest. Tim Peake's rocket will take off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome, following in the footsteps of previous notable astronauts. Sputnik 1 was launched from this location, which was built in the 1950s for the Soviet Union. The Russians are currently leasing the facility, which remains central to their space programme.

Kazakhstan's national drink is fermented horse milk.

Kazakhstan's Unesco World Heritage sites include the Saryarka Plains, a world-famous birding destination; Tamgaly, home to 5,000 ancient rock engravings; and the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The tomb in Turkistan's capital, begun in 1389 and abandoned in 1405, is unfinished.

Destination Kazakhstan is a Central Asian country located south of Russia, extending east from the Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains and west to China. Until 1991, Kazakhstan was one of the fifteen Soviet republics.

Kazakhstan's capital is Nur-Sultan, formerly Akmolinsk (until 1961), Tselinograd (1961-92), Aqmola (1992-98), and Astana (1998-2019). Nur-Sultan is located in north-central Kazakhstan, on the Ishim River, at the junction of the Trans-Kazakhstan and South Siberian railways.

In 1219-24, Genghis Khan's Mongol tribes attack Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Later, they were absorbed by Turkic tribes, who made up the majority of their kingdom. The Kazakh khanate is established in the late 15th century, establishing the Kazakhs as a distinct ethnic group.

The Grand Canyon of Kazakhstan, Charyn Canyon, is orange-hued, massive, and Instagrammable. It is possible to travel from Almaty in one (long) day.

The meat was chewy, similar to elk or moose. Horseflesh, like that of other game animals, is a high-protein source. Kazakhs attribute it with a slew of benefits that border on shapeshifting. It is said to make men sexually active well into their 90s.

The Kazakh Steppe is the world's largest of its kind, covering one-third of the country, which is truly one of Kazakhstan's amazing and fascinating facts.

Because of the hierarchical nature of society, greetings are somewhat formal. A popular greeting is the handshake, which is usually done with both hands and a grin. Many Kazakhs are Muslim, and some men will refuse to shake hands with women, so keep this in mind.

Sunni Muslims constitute the vast majority of Kazakh ethnicity. The country's Slavic population practises traditional Orthodox Christianity.

Kazakhstan is the fictional home of Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat, a film that Kazakhstan officials were understandably critical of. Especially after Kazakhstan's national shooting team won gold in Kuwait in 2012 and Borat's parody national anthem was accidentally played instead of the official one.

Alma-Ata was the name of Kazakhstan's largest city and former capital (until 1998). Translation of the Kazakh term лмaт, the adjective form of the Kazakh word for apple.

The Bayterek Tower in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, stands 97 metres tall and is topped with a golden egg. A lift will transport you 86 metres into the egg, providing views of the city and the lovely gardens below.

The name "Almaty" is derived from the Kazakh word for "apple." The name is sometimes spelled "apple-rich city." The city's previous Soviet-era Russian name, Alma-Ata, is a typo (the name literally means "Grandfather of apples").

Kazakhstan has a relatively low poverty rate. According to the CIA World Fact Book, 2.6 percent of Kazakhstan's population lived on less than $1.90 per day in 2016, with a 5% unemployment rate predicted for 2017.

Expats will find Kazakhstan to be a relatively safe place to live. However, there are some conflicts between the rich and the poor: muggings and thefts are common, especially in urban areas. Expats are advised not to walk alone, to take pre-arranged cabs, and to stay in well-lit and frequented areas.

People from all over the world come to eat traditional Kazakh dishes like 'beshbarmak,' pilav (a traditional eastern meat and rice meal), Russian pelmenis and blinys, Korean spicy salads, and Uighur noodles.

Fyodor Dostoevsky's former home in Semey, close to the Russian border, is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. It has been converted into a museum, with notes from some of his most acclaimed works, including "Crime and Punishment" and "The Idiot," on display.

If you know your Himalayan Snowcock from your Himalayan Rubythroat, Naturetrek offers a 10-day journey living in isolated desert camps in search of Central Asian specialist wildlife with an ornithologist. The total cost, including airfare, is £2,295.

It has a number of ski resorts, including Shymbulak, which Prince Harry and his then-girlfriend Cressida Bonas visited in 2014, which is one of Kazakhstan's most interesting facts.

The Soviet Union (1920–1991) was a country that existed between 1920 and 1991. The Kirghiz Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic was renamed the Kazakh Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic after the Kazakhs were legally separated from the Kyrgyz in 1925.

The ancient Turkic peoples worshipped the sky as God, and their blue-sky banner symbolised their devotion to Father Ancestor. The blue colour of Kazakhstan's State Flag represents the sky, peace, and prosperity, while the self-color of the backdrop represents our nation's unity.

Beshbarmak, Kazakhstan's national dish, translates to "five fingers," referring to the custom of eating it with one's hands. Boiling horse or lamb meat is combined with large noodles resembling lasagne sheets and drizzled with an onion gravy broth.

Kazakhstan is home to the world's largest chimney. The Ekibastuz GRES-2 Power Station has a 419.7m tall chimney.

No matter where you live, porridge is a popular breakfast option. Kazakhs' new obsession is baking oven-baked porridge with mangoes, strawberries, and blueberries.

This could imply that in Kazakhstan, women place a higher value on youth, which is frequently associated with beauty and fertility, whereas men place a higher value on maturity, which is commonly associated with professional achievement, power, and authority.

The economy of Kazakhstan is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, with growth rates of 3.2-3.7 percent in 2021 and 3.7 percent in 2022. Domestic activity will be restarted, fiscal policy will be supportive, and vaccinations will be implemented, all of which will help to boost growth.

This vivid turquoise lake, hidden in the Tien Shan Mountains and formed by an earthquake in 1911, has fading spruce trees poking out of the water, creating a unique landscape. Almaty is approximately a five-hour drive away.

One of the fascinating interesting facts about Kazakhstan is that it was home to a number of routes that made up the historic Silk Road, a commercial network that connected east and west.

Kazakhstan has a distinct culture based on its people's nomadic pastoral economy. Islam was introduced to Kazakhstan between the seventh and twelfth centuries. Several traditional Kazakh dishes, in addition to lamb, have symbolic meanings. The Turkic nomadic way of life has had a profound impact on Kazakh culture.

Kazakhstan has a natural reserve with over 1,300 plant species in bloom. The Aksu-Zhabagyly National Park is home to ibex, argali sheep, and golden eagles, as well as good guides, well-marked paths, and biodiversity.

The ancient pastime kyz kuu, or "female chasing," is an important part of Kazakh culture. It's essentially a horse race between a man and a woman that ends with either the man kissing the woman (a win for the man) or the woman whipping the man (a loss for the woman) (a victory for the woman). Kazakhs are credited with being the first to domesticate and ride horses.

Kazakhstan's economy is export-oriented and heavily reliant on oil and related product shipments (73 percent of total exports). Along with oil, the country's main export commodities are natural gas, ferrous metals, copper, aluminium, zinc, and uranium.

Kazakhstan has a distinct culture based on its people's nomadic pastoral economy. Islam was introduced to Kazakhstan between the seventh and twelfth centuries. Several traditional Kazakh dishes, in addition to lamb, have symbolic meanings. The Turkic nomadic way of life has had a profound impact on Kazakh culture.

9.4% of Kazakhstan's land area is covered by mixed prairie and woodland or treeless prairie, mostly in the north and the Ural River valley in the west. Furthermore, three-quarters of the country is either semidesert (33.2%) or desert (33.2%), encompassing the entire west and much of the south (44 percent).

Shymbulak Ski Resort (shymbulak.com) is about 30 minutes from the centre of Almaty, making it ideal for a quick ski session (the season runs from December to April). Because it is Central Asia's most sophisticated ski resort, expect modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi and cafés.

Almaty's Folk Musical Instruments of Kazakhstan Museum is a must-see. It's in a charming wooden house in Panfilov Park.

At Almaty's Green Market, horsemeat and intestines are weighed on large peeling Soviet-era scales.

The gold-capped Nur Astana Mosque in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, is Central Asia's third largest mosque.

These traditions include respect for elders, patriotism for the country, honesty, and learning to love humanity. Every visitor to a yurt is traditionally served Kazakh food at the dastarkhan (low table).

Kazakhstan is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, with 131 ethnic groups represented, including Kazakhs, Russians, Germans, Tatars, and Uyghurs.

Kazakhstan has 4,806 named mountains, the highest of which is Khan Tengri (6,995 m). The most significant mountain is Belukha (4,506m). The Kazakh Steppe (Plain), the world's largest dry steppe area, accounts for one-third of Kazakhstan's total land area.

Snow is common during the long winter months, but it is usually light and sparse. Every year, around a hundred days of snow fall on the plains of the extreme north (see Petropavl), 60 days in the centre region, and 20 days in the southernmost section.

Kazakh refers to ethnic Kazakhs, whereas Kazakhstani refers to all Kazakh residents or citizens, regardless of ethnicity.

Kazakhstan's wildlife includes the Corsac fox, Eurasian lynx, Pallas cat, snow leopard, and Saiga antelope.

One of Kazakhstan's most unusual sights is the Buddhist rock carvings and paintings of bodhisattvas at Tamgaly Tas (literally, "stones with signs") on the banks of the Ili River, 100 miles north of Almaty.

Kazakhstan became the first former Soviet republic to repay its entire debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seven years early, in 2000.

The humble apple, known as an alma by its locals, is thought to have originated in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstanians celebrate Christmas on January 7 instead of December 25 every year.

Kazakhstan, a predominantly Muslim country, does not have large-scale Christmas celebrations, but it celebrates New Year's Eve with the same zeal as Western countries.