Kazakhstan is an interweaving of ancient epochs and the present. In Kazakhstan alpine landscapes adjoin ancient towns and astonishing collections of Petroglyphs. Kazakhstan is the largest of the Five Stans and is known for its vast steppes, mountains, and deserts. The country is rich in natural resources, including oil, gas, and minerals. Its capital, Astana, is a modern city with impressive architecture and a lively cultural scene. Kazakhstan Travel brings you to the heart of Eurasia, a clash of time and cultures at the confluence of nomadic, Soviet and 21st-century history. Stand on the brink of the world’s largest steppe, an endless ocean of pasturelands marked by ripples of mountains, wildflowers and sleepy towns. Travel cross-country on the modern-day Orient Express, passing the fields where freedom-loving tribes once tamed the wild horse.

Straddling this vast expanse, stretching from the Caspian Sea to China, are cities layered with remnants of the past and bold displays of innovative architecture, while national parks the size of countries are cloaked in a myriad of natural colors which mirror each season.

Kazakhstan’s tenacious people, eager that their country and national values be known by the world, welcome visitors with open arms and traditional hospitality. This is a journey well worth taking!

Location: Kazakhstan is located in the heart of the Eurasian continent. Its territory occupies 2, 724, 900 square kilometers (1,049,150 square miles). It is the CIS’ second and world’s ninth largest country. The Kazakhstan territory is larger than the twelve countries of the European Union! Kazakhstan borders with China, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia. The total length of the borderline is 12,187km.

Area: 2.725 million km²

Population: 19,606,633 people

Ethnic composition: The indigenous population of Kazakhstan are Kazakhs, which draw up 63,1% of the general population of the country.

The Republic of Kazakhstan is a typical multiethnic country, where, besides Kazakhs, represented other ethnic groups, which preserve their linguistic, historical and cultural values. Among them are: Russians (23.7 %), Uzbeks (2.9%), Ukrainians (2.1%), Uyghurs (1.4%), Tatars (1.3%), German (1.1%), others (4.4%).

Political structure: The Republic of Kazakhstan is a unitary state with the presidential system of government. Under the Constitution, Kazakhstan is a democratic, secular, legal and social state which recognizes the man, his life, rights and freedoms as the supreme values of the country.

Administrative divisions: unitarian state, administratively consisting of 20 territorial unit: 17 regions and 3 cities of republican significance

Capital:  Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan and is the country’s most modern and stylish city, attracting visitors with its unique architectural designs. The city sits on the banks of the Ishim River, which separates it into the right and left banks. The left bank is particularly stunning, home to all the distinctive structures.

Gradually, banks and other significant organizations are relocating their headquarters to Astana from Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan. It is advisable to avoid visiting Astana for tourism purposes during the cold season, as even those from Siberia might find the temperatures unbearable. Winter in the city is marked by harsh, biting winds. Conversely, summers in Astana can be quite hot.

Official Language: The Kazakh language is adopted as the state one. Russian is also widely used.

Currency: The national currency of Kazakhstan is Kazakhstani tenge. The currency put into circulation on November 15, 1993. It is the day of the national currency introduction into circulation that was declared the National Currency Day. November 15^th is also a professional holiday for employees of the financial system of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Religion: The Republic of Kazakhstan is a multinational state, inhabited by more than 120 nationalities. The main religion is Islam, but the Kazakhs manifest tolerance towards other religions of the peoples living in their territory, such as Christianity, Judaism, etc. The country has built many mosques and churches in recent years.

Standard time zone: The territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan is divided into two time zones (officially – 4^th and 5^th) with the current time UTC + 5 and UTC + 6, although it actually locates in four geographic time zones: UTC + 3, UTC + 4, UTC + 5, UTC + 6.

Electric power:  The hotels may have both the contemporary European-type sockets with wide holes and ground connection and the old Soviet-type sockets. Current with a voltage of 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz is used throughout.