Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country mostly in Central Asia, with a part in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbekistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest, with a coastline along the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Astana, while the largest city and leading cultural and commercial hub is Almaty. Kazakhstan is the world's ninth-largest country by land area and the largest landlocked country. It has a population of 20 million and one of the lowest population densities in the world, at fewer than 6 people per square kilometre. Ethnic Kazakhs constitute a majority, while ethnic Russians form a significant minority. Officially secular, Kazakhstan is a Muslim-majority country with a sizeable Christian community.
Some of the key events about Kazakhstan
- 1931A severe famine caused by Soviet collectivization policies resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Kazakhs
- 1949The first Soviet nuclear test was conducted at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan
- 1954The Virgin Lands Campaign led to widespread ecological damage and soil erosion in Kazakhstan
- 1986Protests in Almaty against Soviet leadership were violently suppressed
- 1991Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union
- 1991The Semipalatinsk Test Site was officially closed after decades of nuclear testing
- 1993The national currency, the tenge, was introduced
- 1995A new constitution was adopted, establishing Kazakhstan as a presidential republic
- 1997The capital was moved from Almaty to Astana (now Nur-Sultan)
- 1997The capital was moved from Almaty to Astana (now Nur-Sultan), causing economic difficulties for many residents
- 2000Oil was discovered in the Kashagan Field, one of the world's largest oil fields
- 2006Kazakhstan launched its first communications satellite, KazSat-1
- 2010Kazakhstan chaired the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
- 2011Oil workers' strikes in Zhanaozen ended in violent clashes with police, resulting in at least 14 deaths
- 2012The Baiterek monument in Astana became a national symbol and tourist attraction
- 2013A major bank collapse led to significant financial losses for many Kazakhs
- 2017Astana hosted the International Exposition (EXPO 2017) focused on "Future Energy"
- 2019The capital city Astana was renamed Nur-Sultan
- 2019The first president's resignation led to protests and calls for political reform
- 2022Widespread protests over fuel price hikes resulted in violent clashes and a state of emergency declaration
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
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