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Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Қазақстан, Qazaqstan; Russian: Казахстан, Kazakhstán), also spelled Kazakstan, is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of Asia and a former republic of the now extinct USSR. A portion of its territory west of the Ural River is located in eastern-most Europe. It has borders with Russia, the People's Republic of China, and countries of Central Asia, such as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and has a coastline on the Caspian Sea.
Kazakhstan is a Turkic nation.
Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world by area, but its semi-deserts (steppe) make it only the 57th country in population, with approximately 6 persons per sq km (16 per sq mi). Kazakhstan's population ranges from 15,143,704 (CIA World Factbook 2004) to 16,798,552 (Encarta Encyclopedia Online [2004]), depending on the source.
History
Main article: History of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, once colonized by Czarist Russia, was absorbed into the Soviet Union following the October Revolution of 1917 led by V.I.Ulianov Lenin. During the reign of Stalin Kazakhstan was known for its Steplag correctional facility and for hosting deported small ethnic groups from the European as well as the Fareastern part of the U.S.S.R. These groups include among others, Crimean Tatars, Chechens, Greeks, Koreans and Volga Germans. Later Kazakhstan became a site for several ambitious and successful Soviet projects: the Semipalatinsk Test Site and nuclear laboratories, Baikonur space facility, and following by virgin lands.
Kazakhstan proclaimed its independence from the U.S.S.R. in December 1991. The current President of Kazakhstan is Nursultan Nazarbayev.
In 1997 the capital of Kazakhstan was moved from Almaty located in the Southeast of the country to Akmola (Akmolinsk), later renamed to Astana, a city closer to the geographic center of the country.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Kazakhstan
Although Kazakhstan is considered to have made greater progress in the field of democratic reforms, compared to the other Central Asian countries, the situation is far from perfect and international and non-governmental human rights organizations often point to frequent violations of human rights by state officials. The most famous recent case is the trial of opposition journalist Sergei Duvanov. The media is also very tightly controlled by members of the president's immediate family which significantly limits air time and press space for his opponents.
The 1999 election was seriously fraud and Nursultan Nazarbayev won by a large margin keeping him in power since 1990. Repressive tactics like prohibiting those accused of "administrative offenses", such as attending meetings of groups not authorized by the government, from running for political office are commonplace. High fees for running also prohibit many from entering politics without seeking the president's financial endorsements.
Kazakhstan is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Kazakhstan has recently proposed an economic union with Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
Oblystar
Main article: Oblystar of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is divided into 14 oblys and 3 cities (qala)*:
Almaty, Almaty*, Aqmola (Astana), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan (Oral), Bayqongyr*, Mangghystau (Aqtau; formerly Shevchenko), Ongtustik Qazaqstan (Shymkent), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan (Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan (Petropavl), Zhambyl (Taraz; formerly Dzhambul)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); in 1995 the Governments of Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 km² enclosing the Bayqongyr (Baykonur) space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (formerly Leninsk).
Geography
Main article: Geography of Kazakhstan
Economy
Main article: Economy of Kazakhstan
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Kazakhstan
The main ethnic groups in Kazakhstan are
Kazakhs (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russians 30%, Ukrainians 3.7%, Germans 2.4%, Uzbeks 2.5%, Uygur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999). Note: Before 1991 three million Germans lived in Kazakhstan.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Kazakhstan
Miscellaneous topics
Environmental issues
In part because of the country's enormous semi-arid steppe, the Soviet government used Kazakhstan as its nuclear testing site, and this, along with near-absent pollution controls, has contributed to an alarmingly high rate of disease in many rural areas. Kazakhstan has identified at least two major ecological disasters within its borders-- the shrinking of the Aral Sea and radioactive contamination at the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing facility (in fact a large zone south of Koursatov) and along the Chinese border.
The Central Asian Regional Environmental Center is located in Kazakhstan, which fosters regional cooperation on environmental issues.
Cosmodrome
Kazakhstan possesses the Soviet equivalent to the United States' Cape Canaveral, where they have launched their version of the space shuttle and the well-known space station Mir. Russia currently leases approximately 6,000 km² of territory enclosing the Baikonur Cosmodrome space launch site in south central Kazakhstan.
Sport
Cycling
Talented cyclist Alexander Vinokourov represents Kazakhstan in his cycling career for the German T-mobile team. Vinokourov has an impressive cycling record finishing third overall in the 2003 Tour de France.
Rhythmic gymnastics
Aliya Yussupova ended up 4th in Summer Olympic Games in Athens. She has won many medals in previous tournaments. Currently, she is training in Moscow. She is also engaged to a most prolific wirter of contemporary Kazakhstan - Mulik Djoshkin(ze).
Boxing
Kazakh boxers are reknowned for their incredible performance in Sydney, 2000. Three boxers earned gold medals.
Trivia
The name of the city of Almaty, 'Father of Apples' in English, derives from the wild apples that grow naturally in the area.
The Kazak's are known for their love of fried chicken around the world. As a result, they consume thousands of tons of frying oil every year. Households generally tend to dump this oil outside, causing problems for the natural flora and fauna.
Kazakhstan appears in the movies Air Force One (with Harrison Ford), The World Is Not Enough (James Bond), and Rollerball (with Jean Reno).
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