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Kazakhstan

Asia · 19 million

About Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a sovereign country located in Asia, specifically within the Central Asia subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Astana, and the country is home to approximately 20.4 million people. In its native languages, the country is known as “Қазақстан”, “Казахстан”. Kazakh and Russian are recognised as official or widely-spoken languages, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Kazakhstan. The official currency in circulation is the Kazakhstani tenge (₸), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Kazakhstan is widely recognised for its steppe nomads, the Baikonur Cosmodrome and being the origin of all wild apples. People from Kazakhstan are referred to as Kazakhstani.

Geography & climate

Kazakhstan covers approximately 2.72 million km² of territory, making it one of the largest countries in the world by land area. It shares land borders with 5 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Kazakhstan sits in the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere, at roughly 48.0° N, 66.9° E. Because of its size and geography, the country spans 2 time zones, ranging from UTC+05:00 in the west to UTC+06:00 in the east — a logistical consideration for travel, broadcasting, and commerce. The prevailing climate of Kazakhstan can be summarised as: central asian steppe with extreme continental. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.

People, language & society

With roughly 20.4 million inhabitants, Kazakhstan is a country of significant population size. Linguistic life is plural here: Kazakh and Russian are all in active use, with regional and minority tongues often adding further variety. Locals refer to their homeland as “Қазақстан” or “Казахстан”, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as Kazakhstani, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Kazakhstani tenge (₸) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.

Quick facts at a glance

Practical travel & daily-life info

Visitors planning a trip to Kazakhstan should familiarise themselves with the capital, Astana, the relevant local time zone for their destination, the local currency (Kazakhstani tenge). The international dialling prefix is +7, which is required when phoning a Kazakhstan number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .kz, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.

Government & global standing

Kazakhstan is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Kazakhstan is generally classified within the Asia region and more specifically the Central Asia subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties.

Bordering countries

Kazakhstan shares land borders with 5 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:

Did you know?

The world's largest landlocked nation sprawls larger than Western Europe, and every domestic apple variety traces its genes to wild forests here.

Kazakhstan in the GlobeIQ atlas

Inside the GlobeIQ game, Kazakhstan appears as a moderately challenging puzzle, suited to players who already know the major continents. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Kazakhstan carries the personality tags “🌾 Steppe Nation” and “🚀 Space Launch Hub”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Kazakhstan to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.

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