Kazakhstan Media & Information Centre
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is an ethnically diverse republic which gained independence from the former Soviet Union on December 16, 1991. The ninth-largest country in the world, Kazakhstan credits its strong economic growth over the last few years to the political and economic reforms implemented in the years following the country's independence.
On September 25 in Astana, the United States Embassy and the Museum of Contemporary Art presented the photo exhibit, "The Landmarks of New York."
The Eurasia Film Festival was held September 23-29, 2007, in the city of Almaty.
Politics/Elections: KazakhstanÃs political system has been characterized by strong presidential power, comparable in certain respects to the French Fifth Republic
Regional Initiatives: As a real success story in the region, Kazakhstan has made great strides in political, economic and cultural reform
Spotlight Music
Pop-Folk Band Urker
Urker, or "Constellation" in English, was the first Kazakh band to have a video shown on American television. Fronted by singer-songwriter Aidos Sagat, the pop folk band has released five albums and enjoys a broad national fan base. Their most recent album, "The Best of Urker", was released in 2004.
Did you know?
- Kazakhstan has 29 billion barrels in proven oil reserves.
- More than 100 different ethnic groups are represented in Kazakhstan.
- More than 600,000 people live in the capital city of Astana.
- Kazakhstan became the first state in history to complete voluntary disarmament.