Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, located in the center of the Eurasian continent, is more closely related to Asia than to Europe. The population is currently 17,733,198 people. Kazakhstan is the 9^th largest country in the world according to territory (and second among the former Soviet states), 42^nd according to per capita GDP, and 64^th according to population size. Located between the Caspian Sea and China, Kazakhstan also borders the Lower Volga and Ural regions of Siberia, in Russia. The Aral Sea is also located partly in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world.

Date of independence (from USSR) – December 16^th, 1991.

Official languages – Kazakh (state), Russian (official).

Capital – Astana.

Biggest cities – Almaty, Shymkent, Astana, Karaganda.

Form of government – Presidential republic.

Area – 2,724,902 km².

Currency – Tenge.

ISO Code – KZ.

IOC Code – KAZ.

Time zone – UTC +5, UTC +6.