Kazakhstan’s population of more than 15 million citizens includes more than 100 ethnic groups and 46 religions. A secular state, Kazakhstan’s tradition of tolerance and respect is an integral part of its history.
Ethnic Kazakhs (approximately 50 percent of the country’s population) were primarily pastoral nomads until the middle of the 1900s. Though the nomads have now settled into villages, towns and cities, their traditions, which evolved over centuries, live on. Strong ties to family, respect for elders and courtesy are some of the qualities that characterize the Kazakh people.
To encourage cultural diversity and the growth of civil society, the constitution forbids discrimination on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity. In an effort to maintain secularism in government, political parties may not be formed to serve the needs of a specific religious or ethnic group.