Capital: Astana (formerly Aqmola) became the official capital of Kazakhstan in 1998, succeeding Almaty (formerly Alma-Ata) and moving the national government from the far southeast to the industrial north.

Other Major Cities: Almaty, Karaganda, Öskemen, Pavlodar, Shymkent, and Taraz.

Independence: The recognized date of independence is December 16, 1991, when the Republic of Kazakhstan split from the Soviet Union.

Public Holidays: The national holiday is October 25, Republic Day. Other holidays are International Women’s Day (March 8), Novruz (spring equinox, March 21–22), Unification Day (May 1), Victory Day (May 9), Constitution Day (August 30), and Independence Day (December 16). Russian Orthodox citizens celebrate Christmas on January 7.

Flag: The flag has a sky-blue field with a golden sun and eagle in the center

and a vertical golden ornamental strip on the left side.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

European Commission recommends closer nuclear cooperation with ...  -  24 Oct 2006
International Herald Tribune,The European Commission on Tuesday sent a recommendation to EU governments urging them to back the conclusion of an agreement with Kazakhstan to facilitate ...

Interfax press center opens in Kazakhstan  -  24 Oct 2006
Interfax Russia,Oct 24 (Interfax) - The Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, which is a member of the Interfax Information Services Group, has announced the launch of a press ...

New Cargo Craft Launches From Kazakhstan  -  24 Oct 2006
Space Daily,...by Staff Writers. The ISS Progress 23 cargo craft launched on schedule Monday, Oct. 23, at 9:41 am EDT. Docking is planned for Thursday, Oct. ...

Kazakhstan, Croatia: no actual political issues: Damir Polancec  -  24 Oct 2006
Kazinform,KAZINFORM /Yernur Akanbai/ - Foreign Affairs Minister of Kazakhstan Kassymzhomart Tokayev has met with Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polancec who is ...

From Norfolk to Kazakhstan â€“ via the Scottish Borders and ...  -  24 Oct 2006
Business Weekly,Having won a Â£504.5k contract to manufacture 42 large GRP processing and waste treatment vessels for Kazakhstan, the Norfolk firm faced the logistical ...

KAZAKHSTAN: More limits to religious freedom planned?  -  24 Oct 2006
Forum 18,Changes to Kazakhstan's Anti-terrorism Law are being planned later in 2006 by the KNB secret police, officials have told Forum 18 News Service. ...

UAE cat ambassador off to Kazakhstan  -  24 Oct 2006
7DAYS,Shortly, he will also be setting off on further bridge-building missions. â€œWeâ€™re sending him to Kazakhstan,â€? says Collisson. ...

Largest hypermarket of international level be opened in Kazakhstan  -  24 Oct 2006
Kazinform,ALMATY. October 24, 2006. KAZINFORM /Yelena Ilyinskaya/ - The largest hypermarket of international level - trade and entertainment ...

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan anxiously await resolution of tensions  -  24 Oct 2006
Messenger.ge,It is rumoured that Kazakh investors are going to stop putting money into Georgia-Kazakhstan is currently the biggest investor in Georgia. ...

First VFM of Kazakhstan awarded Sign of Honour in Asutria  -  24 Oct 2006
Gazeta.KZ,Rakhat Aliyev, First Vice Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, has been awarded the Big Silver Sign of Honour of Austria, Kazakhstan Today reports citing state media ...

Industry Minister of Saudi Arabia to visit Kazakhstan  -  24 Oct 2006
Gazeta.KZ,Hashem ben Abdullah al-Yamani, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Saudi Arabia, will visit Kazakhstan from 29 to 31 October Yerzhan Ashikbayev, official ...

Caspian says received positive results from Zhengeldy well  -  24 Oct 2006
Life Style Extra,...well and expects four other wells to be back in production by early November after a decline in production rates at the company's Zhengeldy field in Kazakhstan ...

Kazakh leader prioritizes competitiveness  -  24 Oct 2006
RIA Novosti,ASTANA, October 24 (RIA Novosti) - A globally competitive Kazakhstan is the government's first priority, the country's president said Tuesday. ...

Harmony Centre fully booked  -  24 Oct 2006
Electric New Paper,Harmony Centre Muhd Haniff told The New Paper that in the following weeks, it will see other foreign delegations such as those from Kazakhstan, Indonesia and ...

Head of Kazakh delegation addressed II Congress of Russian ...  -  24 Oct 2006
Kazinform,KAZINFORM. /Arnur Rakhymbekov/ Kazakhstan delegation, consisting of 45 people, takes part in the II Congress of Russian compatriots in Saint Petersburg. ...

On The Net: Artist Faves On Mog.com  -  24 Oct 2006
WRAL.com,Musical Listenings That Have Been Origin in Moving Film `Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.'" It includes the ...

OFWs caught in middle of riot in Kazakhstan oil plant  -  Oct 22, 2006
INQ7.net,...overseas Filipino workers were caught in the middle of a violent confrontation between Kazakh and Turkish workers in an oil refinery in Kazakhstan, GMA Network ...

Siemens AG CEO to call on Kazakhstan  -  Oct 23, 2006
Kazinform,...globe. Heinrich von Pierer will participate also in an opening ceremony of Citibank Kazakhstan affiliate and hold a press conference.

Kazakhstan Asks Borat to Visit  -  Oct 22, 2006
The Moscow Times,ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- A top Kazakh official has an invitation for the British comedian whose depiction of a homophobic, misogynistic, English-mangling Kazakh ...

Does Quantity Mean Quality? Education in Kazakhstan  -  Oct 23, 2006
Neweurasia.net,Ben reported back in May that Kazakhstan is to increase spending on science development by 25 times until 2012, reaching 350 billion tenge, and recetly we ...

Croatian VPM currently visits Kazakhstan  -  Oct 23, 2006
Gazeta.KZ,Damir Polancec, Vice Prime Minister of Croatia, is on an official visit to Kazakhstan from 21 to 25 October, Yerzhan Ashikbayev, official spokesperson for the ...

Cooperation between Kazakhstan, Greece discussed  -  Oct 22, 2006
Kazinform,...week KazakhstanÐ¢s charge dÐ¢affaires in Greece Bulat Sarsenbayev visited Saloniki; Kazinform refers to diplomatic missionÐ¢s office of Kazakhstan in Greece. ...

President of Kazakhstan congratulates nation on Muslim holiday  -  Oct 23, 2006
Gazeta.KZ,Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, has congratulated all Muslims of Kazakhstan on Oraza Ait holiday, Kazakhstan Today correspondent reports. ...

foreign oil companies seek Iran cooperation  -  Oct 22, 2006
IranMania News,LONDON, October 23 (IranMania) - The Russian LUKOIL and the Kazakhstan Oil companies have offered Iran North Drilling Company (NDC) to cooperate with them in ...

This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant.