Country Overview

The Republic of Kazakhstan is an ethnically diverse republic which gained independence from the former Soviet Union on December 16, 1991. Roughly the size of Western Europe, Kazakhstan is bordered by Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea.

For centuries, Kazakhstan has been at the center of cultural exchange. Located on the Great Silk Road, a trade route that connected China with Europe two thousand years ago, the Kazakhstan culture and economy greatly benefited from the constant flow of culture, ideas, science and goods that traveled the route.

Nomadic tribes have been living in the region for thousands of years, and the area has been inhabited since at least the Stone Age. Administrative districts were established under the Mongol empire after the Mongolian invasion in the 13th century. In about the middle of the 15th century, the tribes merged into one Kazakh people, sharing a language, culture and economy.

In the 19th century, the Russian Empire spread into Central Asia, including most of the territory of Kazakhstan. The Kazakh national movement sought to preserve the national language and identity. After a brief period of independence after the collapse of the Russian empire, Kazakhstan became a republic of the Soviet Union.

Since 1991, when Kazakhstan declared independence, significant reforms have been made to the Soviet-era economy and political system. The country has worked to develop a market economy, and has enjoyed significant economic growth due to its abundant natural resources.