Kazakhstan <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:kz-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana in December 1998</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>republic<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>tenge (KZT)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 2,717,300 sq km <br>''water:'' 47,500 sq km <br>''land:'' 2,669,800 sq km</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>16,741,519 (July 2002 est.)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%</td></tr> </table> </div>  '''Kazakhstan''' is by far the largest of the states of Central Asia of the former USSR. It is the world's ninth biggest country by size, and is more than twice the size of the other Central Asian states combined. Its lack of significant historical sites and endless featureless steppe have put many off Kazakhstan, but many are captivated by the emptiness and mystery of this goliath state. Bordering both China and Russia it will be many travellers' first port of call on their Central Asian adventure, and there is much for the intrepid traveller to enjoy. Image:kz-map.png|thumb|350px|Map of Kazakhstan WikiPedia:{{PAGENAME}} ==Understand== Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers. ==Cities== *Astana *Almaty *Zhambyl *Shymkent *Turkistan *Aqtobe *Semey *Qaraghandy *Kokshetau ==Other destinations== *Zaliyisky Alatau *Karkara Valley ==Get in== ===By plane=== Air Kazakhstan stopped flying at the end of March 2004. The most important carrier is now [http://www.air-astana.kz/ Air Astana] which flies to Almaty, Astana, Aktau, Aktobe, Atyrau, Uralsk, Dubai, Moscow, Beijing, Istanbul, Bangkok, Hannover, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Seoul. Lufthansa has also seven days flights to Almaty, the best city in Kazakhstan, from where you can go anywhere. Turkish airlines is good passenger carrier ===By train=== Popular routes include Almaty to/from Moscow (77 hours), Novosibirsk (35 hours) and Ürümqi, China. The trains are a great way to meet people. A lot has been written about the pitfalls of being included in a vodka drinking party on a train, but for the most part fellow travellers are friendly, and keen to find out about you ("why aren't you married?" and if you are "why don't you have children?" and if you do "why don't they have children?"!). Most travellers take food for the journey as restaurant car provision is sporadic (and they expect you to share yours too!). If you don't have enough to last the distance, the trains generally stop for 15-20 mins at each station and there are always people on the platform selling food and drink, at any time of day or night. ===By car=== hi How many km is from Almaty to Aktobe? ===By bus=== ===By boat=== ==Get around== ==Talk== ==Buy== *[http://www.bukhara-carpets.com/ Hand made carpets from Kazakhstan] ==Eat== Meat, potatoes, rice and pasta. And lots of it. If you're vegetarian stay at home, because if it doesn't have meat in it, it was almost certainly cooked it meat stock. Here are some dishes I'd recommend: *Laghman - A thick noodle dish, usually served as a soup. *Manty - Large steamed dumplings full of meat and onions. *Plov - A wonderful dish of fried rice, meat, carrots, and sometimes other bits such as raisins or tomatoes. *Beshbarmak - Wide, flat noodles, with boiled horseflesh on top. The traditional meal of Kazakhs. *Shashlyk - Skewered, roasted chunks of meat, served with some sort of flatbread (usually lavash) and onions. If you're a vegetarian, you're probably thinking there's nothing for you in Kazakstan. And you're right - so long as you eat out. But if you're cooking your own food, you'll be more than satisfied. Kazakstan has some excellent produce available at little markets everywhere. On the other hand, in Kazakshtan you can find any dishes you want, but chinese and japanese dishes are very expencive. The most delicious is caviar, which is very cheap, you can buy 1 kilo of caviar for less than 300 US dollars in Almaty Zelenniy Bazaar, but you can export or take with you home, you will be stopped at airport and pay high fines... ==Drink== You can find any drink you want, but try to have two traditional: *Kumiss - Fermented mare's milk. *Kumyran (Shubat)- Fermented camel's milk ==Sleep== ==Learn== ==Work== ==Stay safe== ==Stay healthy== ==Respect== ==Contact== ==External links== *[http://www.kz Welcome to Kazakhstan] ---- <CENTER> {| width=50% bgcolor=white align=center style=border-style:dotted;border-width:1mm;border-color:lightblue |''This article is still a Wikitravel:Stub articles|stub and needs your Wikitravel:Stubs needing attention|attention. Wikitravel:Plunge forward|Plunge forward and Wikitravel:How to edit a page|help it grow!'' |} </CENTER> fr:Kazakhstan de:Kasachstan First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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