Four times the size of France, Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world. A country with a rich historical and cultural past, Kazakhstan has a diverse ethnic make up. Bordered by Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan has become home to many nations and is known for its friendly and hospitable people.

Kazakhstan was formerly a Soviet Republic but gained independence in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It is a country of immense natural beauty and interest as it is geographically diverse. Its terrain ranges from the arid, treeless steppes of the center to the snow capped peaks and glaciers of the Tian Shan mountain range and the Almaty area, with its canyons, turquoise lakes and alpine meadows.

Rich in natural resources such as oil, natural gas, copper, zinc, bauxites (aluminum ore), gold, silver, chrome and uranium, Kazakhstan is a country of huge economic potential. Some of its major exports include oil, uranium, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery, chemicals, grain, wool, meat and coal. Although there is still widespread poverty in the country, and unemployment and inflation are rife, oil development has brought rapid economic growth and plans to grow oil exports are already underway.

Astana, declared a world city by UNESCO in 1999, is the capital of Kazakhstan and is one of the main commerce centers with all government organizations and foreign businesses located there. Leafy Almaty, situated in the fertile fruit-producing region in the southeast is the former capital of Kazakhstan and is the largest city in the country. Famed for it's beautiful architecture, its grand ballet and opera houses, public sculptures and market stalls, Almaty is the cultural center of Kazakhstan and well worth a visit.

Other sights and activities in Kazakhstan include skiing, visiting the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the prominent spaceport launch site, bird watching in Korgalzhyn and visiting one of the country's striking nature reserves where bears, ibex and raptors can be observed.

From the Word Travels destination guide to Kazakhstan copyright Globe Media 2011