The country
Geographically, Kazakhstan is a vast, empty country stretching across Eurasia covering an area the size of western Europe. The Siberian north wanders into the steppes in the centre, the snow-capped peaks of the Tien Shan mountains rise majestically at the eastern border, where trekking and winter sports are growing fast. In the west the coastline meets the oil-rich Caspian Sea - mineral resources are vast and the oil industry is growing, raising the prospect of big business and vast revenues. But despite creating a rich thin-end of the wedge, poverty is widespread and once-productive industrial towns are crumbling into obscurity.
History has clearly not always dealt the kindest of cards to this corner of the former Soviet Union. From the gulags of Stalin to nuclear testing and the ecological disaster of the Aral sea, where water diverted for irrigation has shrunk the lake and poisoned the land and people with salt, life has been harsh for many of the 15.5m inhabitants.
And they are a mixed bunch too. While over half of the population is Kazakhs, Russians make up 25% and a smattering of Ukrainians, Chechens, Kurds, Germans, Koreans and Central Asians fill in the gaps. Once a republic of the former Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan as neighbours. The Kazakhs are Muslim but this is not strictly practiced, mainly due to the nomadic way of life that is common for many, moving with livestock to summer pastures.
Borat will doubtless provoke a rise in tourism but quite what the locals will make of him is uncertain as Otau, the largest chain of cinemas in the country, have decided not to show the feature-length film. What is certain is that 99% of them are so hospitable and friendly, and the country so quirky, that it doesn’t matter anyway.
Best sites
The Embassy of Kazakhstan
Eurasianet Arts, culture and human rights
Khabar TV news channel
Kazakhstan Current affairs
Herwig Photo Images from a photographer living in Almaty
The CIA World Factbook
Foreign Office travel advice
If you only do three things ...
Take a stroll around Astana, the nation’s progressive former capital with the least imaginative name (Astana means ‘capital’). Meet the locals. They are mostly a very hospitable bunch, happy to welcome you to their extraordinary country and into their homes. For the active, arrange a trek in Almaty and head into the Tien Shan mountain range, a scenic area of rivers, woods and glaciers with great hiking routes.
News and current affairs
Kazakhstan’s online publications from the world news guide.
Language
Russian, snappily called the "language of interethnic communication", is the official language and is spoken in cities. Kazakh is the state language and is widely spoken in the countryside. Regional dialects, including Uygur, can also be found. English is spoken mainly by those connected with the tourist industry.
Health
Standard immunizations such as TB, tetanus and polio should be up-to-date. In mountains and forests, especially between April and June, tics carrying encephalitis can be a problem. Keep yourself well covered when close to vegetation and periodically check none have attached themselves to you. Drink bottled water.
Climate
Continental and dry, with fiercely hot summers and bitter winters complete with snow. July is the hottest month. Much of the landscape is arid or semi-arid and the Kazakh Steppe, a vast wilderness of grasslands, is the largest steppe on the planet, seeing huge thunderstorms and floods in the summer months.
Food
Kazakh cuisine is as varied as the country’s ethnicity, with Middle Eastern, Russian, Mediterranean and nomadic influences. The national dish is besbarmak (horsemeat or mutton and dough) and other meaty options include kazi and chuzhuk (horsemeat sausages), kaurdak (mutton stew), shashlyk (mutton on skewers barbecued over charcoal) and lepeshka (round unleavened bread). Manty (boiled noodle sacks of meat and vegetables) and samsa (samosas) are popular snacks and the dull-sounding plov (scraps of mutton, shredded yellow turnip and rice) is common across Central Asia. Almaty is famous for its apples. Kazakh tea (chai) is something of a speciality, served strong with cream. In the steppe shubat kumis (camel’s milk) can be tried and kumis (fermented mare’s milk) is widely drunk.
Events
January: The Muslim celebration of Eid-ul-Azha (the Feast of the Sacrifice)
March 22: Nauryz, Kazakh New Year, with fairs and street parties
May 1: Unity Day
May 9: Victory Day, commemorating the end of the second world war for Russia
August: The Voice of Asia music festival is held near Almaty
October Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan
October 25: The Day of the Republic
Dec 16: Independence Day
What to buy
Traditional rugs are a must in Almaty. Embroidered scarves, bags and leather goods are often of good quality. Hang traditional Kazakh clothes like furry hats and embroidered suede trousers and boots on yourself, and silk paintings on the walls. And finally buy a yurt, a large, colourful tent still used by the nomads across the Steppe.
Embassies and visas
UK: Kazakhstan Embassy, 33 Thurloe Square, London, SW7 2SD. Tel: 020 7581 4646.
Kazakhstan: British Embassy, Street Furmanova 173, Almaty. Visa/Consular section at: 158 Panfilova Street, Almaty. Tel: +7 573 150 2200.
Visa requirements: A visa is required and valid for 30 days from the date of issue. The easiest way to get a visa is to book everything through a tour agent. Otherwise you can obtain one from the Kazakhstan Embassy before departure. If you plan to stay for three working days or longer you need to register with the Department for Visas and Registration when you arrive. Registration can be done when you get a visa or a tour agent can organise it.
Currency
£1 buys approximately 253 Kazakhstan Tenge (KZT).
Timezone
GMT +5 and +6
Getting there
Air Astana flies direct from London Heathrow to Almaty on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Other European carriers tend to go via places like Frankfurt or Istanbul. Flights from Asia are commonly through Delhi or Islamabad. If time is no object there is a long-distance train from Moscow to Almaty.
Related literature
Epicenter of Peace, Nursultan Nazarbayev The President’s memoirs on disbanding the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Once in Kazakhstan: The Snow Leopard emerges, Keith Rosten A look at the places, people and history, with photos.
