The Republic of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the largest state in Central Asia and ninth in the world by area (about 2.7 million km²). Its population is about 20 million and its capital is Astana (called Nur-Sultan until 2022). It borders Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan and touches the Caspian Sea but has no ocean access. Its border with Russia is one of the longest land borders in the world. It is a presidential republic and a unitary state, divided into regions and cities of republican significance (Astana, Almaty, Shymkent). Plains dominate its relief, with mountains only in the south-east (Altai, Tien Shan) and the Kazakh Uplands in the centre. The climate is sharply continental and dry: very cold winters, hot summers, little rain, and steppe, semi-desert and desert zones. Its main rivers are the Irtysh, Ili, Syr Darya and Ural; water is scarce and much of it comes across borders. Minerals are abundant: oil and gas near the Caspian, coal in the centre (Karaganda, Ekibastuz), iron, copper, zinc, chromium and tungsten; since 2009 Kazakhstan has been first in the world in uranium mining, giving about 40 % of the world’s uranium. Natural increase is relatively low for Central Asia and density is very low (about 7 people per km²); urbanisation is about 60 %; the biggest cities are Almaty, Astana and Shymkent. Kazakhs are the majority, with Russians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Uyghurs and others; Uzbeks live mainly in the southern Turkistan region. Its economy is the strongest in the region: oil and gas, coal, metallurgy, chemicals and engineering; most electricity comes from thermal stations. In farming, grain (rain-fed in the north), and irrigated vegetables, rice and melons in the south; in livestock, sheep, cattle, horses and camels. Kazakhstan lies on transit routes between Russia and China, and the Baikonur Cosmodrome is on its territory.
“Kazakhstan’s riches”: mark oil, coal, uranium, iron and copper areas on the map and write which cities are close.