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Kids Edition
Republic of
2014
Kazakhstan
Qazaqstan Respublikasy
Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world.
Lake Balkhash is half saltwater and half freshwater! A narrow strait divides the two halves of the lake.
Russia pays more than $100 million per year to rent an area of 3,700 square miles (6,000 square kilometers)
around the Baikonur Space Center in central Kazakhstan. The Baikonur Space Center is an important rocket
launch site, the largest in the world.
Kazakh boys like asyki, a game similar to marbles but played with dried sheep bones.
On New Year’s Eve, Kazakh children may dress in costumes to wait for Grandfather Frost to deliver gifts.
Kazakhs are generally quiet in public, saving their smiles for important or special occasions.
A popular summer drink in Kazakhstan is kumis (fermented mare’s milk).
Weaving is an important industry in Kazakhstan. Rugs (tekemets) made of felt or wool are among the finest in the
world and are common in Kazakh homes. Geometric designs and vibrant colors are typical features.
The golden eagle is the national bird of Kazakhstan.
Flag
The flag of Kazakhstan is light blue, which symbolizes the country’s skies and hopes for
the future. In the center, an eagle flying beneath a golden sun symbolizes freedom. The
pattern on the left side represents the people of Kazakhstan. The current flag was most
recently adopted on 4 June 1992.
National Image
The national emblem depicts a shanyrak (the top part of a circular, tent-like home called
a yurt) against a blue background, with the tent supports radiating outwards like the
rays of the sun. Two winged horses are situated on the left and the right. Kazakhstan is
inscribed across the bottom of the emblem.
Land and Climate
Area (sq. mi.): 1,052,090
Area (sq. km.): 2,724,900
Kazakhstan covers 1,052,090 square miles (2,724,900 sq km) of central Asia and is
about the same size as Argentina, or four times the size of the state of Texas.
Kazakhstan has mountains in the south and east, forested hills in the north, and desert
and semidesert terrain in the south and west. The central part of the country is a
grassy, treeless plain, called a steppe, which takes up about a third of the country.
Kazakhstan’s major rivers include the Irtysh, Syr Darya, and Ural. The biggest lakes are
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Lake Balkhash and Lake Alakol. In the west is the oil-rich Caspian Sea, and along the
southern border is the Aral Sea. Once large and healthy, the Aral Sea shrunk by about
half during the Soviet era because much of the water was used for farming and
industry. Unfortunately, many of Kazakhstan’s rivers and lakes are polluted because
the chemicals used in farms and factories have ended up in the water.
Winters are long and harsh in the north. Temperatures can dip to -40°F (-40°C), and
windstorms are common. Southern winters are shorter and less harsh, but
temperatures during the hot, dry summers can reach 104°F (40°C).
Population
Population: 17,736,896
Kazakhstan has a population of more than 17 million people. That may seem like a lot
of people, but since it’s such a large country, Kazakhstan still has one of the world’s
lowest population densities: 15 people per square mile (6 per sq km). So people are
really spread out in parts of Kazakhstan. Ethnic Kazakhs make up more than half of the
population. Russians, who live mostly in northern Kazakhstan and in cities, account for
about 30 percent. Other ethnic groups include Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Germans, Tatars,
and Uygurs.
Language
Kazakh became the official state language in 1989, but Russian (which also is an
official language) is still spoken by 95 percent of the population. During the Soviet
period, Russian was the language used in business, education, and government.
Russian is still widely used in business, between people of different ethnic groups, in
higher education, and in international communication. However, the government is
working to encourage the use of Kazakh. Kazakh includes 42 letters: 33 letters of the
Russian alphabet and 9 additional characters. Radio and television stations broadcast
in Kazakh and Russian. Government forms usually include both languages. English is
the most commonly studied foreign language. German and Turkish are other commonly
studied languages.
Can You Say It in Kazakh?
Hello
Salem
(sah-LEM)
Good-bye
Qosh sau bolyngdar
(kosh sau bo-lin-dar)
Please
Marhaba
(mar-HAW-bah)
Thank you
Rahmet
(RAH-met)
Yes
Ya
(yah)
No
Zhok
(zhoke)
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Religion
During the Soviet period, people were discouraged from participating in religion. Today, 47 percent of the population is
Muslim, 44 percent is Russian Orthodox, and the remaining 9 percent is composed mainly of Protestants and Jews.
Although religion does not usually play a major role in the daily lives of Kazakhs, funerals and some other religious
ceremonies are considered important. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution.
Time Line
AD 500
500s
Turkic tribes settle in the area that is now known as Kazakhstan
700s–800s
Arabs introduce Islam to parts of southern Kazakhstan
1200
1200s
Genghis Khan leads Mongol tribes in an invasion of Kazakhstan and
Central Asia
1500
1511–15
Kazakhs are unified under Kassym Khan
1600s
Kazakhs split into three tribal groups
1700
1700s
Russia builds forts in northern Kazakhstan
1800s
Russia gains control over Kazakhstan
1900
1916
A Kazakh uprising against Russian domination is crushed
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1917
Following the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, civil war breaks out in
Kazakhstan
1930s
One-third of Kazakhstan’s population and most of the country’s
livestock die during Joseph Stalin’s efforts at forced collectivization
(when small privately-owned farms are replaced with large
government-owned farms)
1936
Kazakhstan becomes a Soviet republic
1940s
During World War II, Stalin deports (forcibly removes) hundreds of
thousands of ethnic minorities from western Russia and sends them to
forced work camps in Kazakhstan
1961
A manned spacecraft is launched for the first time from the Baikonur
launch site in central Kazakhstan
1986
Riots break out in Almaty after Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev installs
an ethnic Russian as Kazakh Communist Party leader
1991
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan declares
independence
2000
2004
Kazakhstan and China reach agreement on a deal to build a pipeline
that will carry oil from Kazakhstan to western China
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2007
Parliament decides to allow President Nazarbyev to remain in office for
an unlimited number of terms, but this is later ruled unconstitutional
2011
Anti-government protests are met by government resistance, resulting
in 16 deaths and the worst violence in 20 years
PRESENT
Nomads
For centuries, the territory now known as Kazakhstan was inhabited by nomadic tribes,
people without a permanent home who moved from place to place depending on the
season and what food was available. Some of the earliest people in the area were
Turkic tribes, who came in the sixth century. At the time, Kazakhstan was located along
the Silk Road, a trade route connecting Europe and China. Traders not only brought
goods to the region but new ideas as well. Islam was introduced to southern
Kazakhstan in the eighth and ninth centuries. In the early 13th century, central Asia was
conquered by Genghis Khan’s Golden Horde, another group of nomads. Their
descendants, known as the White Horde, ruled the territory until the Mongol Empire
crumbled in the late 14th century. The Kazakh nation that emerged was a mixture of
Turkic and Mongol peoples.
Russian Domination
In the early 1700s, Russians from the north began to build settlements and forts in southern Siberia and northern
Kazakhstan. Later on, when the Kazakh population was threatened with invasion by outsiders, they decided to ask
Russia’s military for protection. This arrangement allowed Russia to increase its influence in the region, gradually
imposing its will on the people and their leaders. By the 19th century, Russia was in control. And as an increasing
number of Russians settled in Kazakhstan, the lives of Kazakh nomads were disrupted. The nomads could no longer
graze their animals or live where they wanted to.
Although, from the beginning, the Kazakhs repeatedly rebelled against this foreign domination, their efforts were
unsuccessful. One of the first uprisings occurred between 1836 and 1847. Khan Kene, who is considered a national
hero, led a revolt against the Russians, but the attempt failed and he was killed. During another rebellion against
Russia in 1916, about 150,000 Kazakhs were killed and thousands more fled to China and Mongolia.
Soviet Rule
After Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, communist forces eventually took control
of Kazakhstan. The years following were some of the most difficult in the country’s
history. Not only were there years of devastating wars, but in the 1930s, Soviet leader
Joseph Stalin ordered the government to take over all the farms in the region and tried
to force the population onto large government-owned farms. This brought an end to the
traditional way of life for most of Kazakhstan’s nomads. It also resulted in repeated
famines, which caused the deaths of about one-third of the population and most of the
country’s livestock due to starvation. During World War II, Stalin forcibly sent hundreds
of thousands of ethnic minorities from Russia to forced work camps and other areas in
Kazakhstan.
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Breakup of the Soviet Union and Independence
Tension between the Soviet government and Kazakhs continued on into the later part
of the 20th century. In 1986, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev replaced the Kazakh
leader of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan with an ethnic Russian. To make matters
worse, the new leader was unfamiliar with the Kazakh language and culture. In Almaty,
riots broke out, which government troops violently crushed. In 1989, the Russian leader
was sent back to Russia and a Kazakh—Nursultan Nazarbayev—was appointed in his
place. These events helped mark the beginning of the end of Soviet rule in Kazakhstan.
With the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan finally declared its
independence.
Kazakhstan Today
Since achieving independence, Kazakhstan’s government has been working to
strengthen its economy and develop the country’s natural resources. The discovery of
major new oil fields in the 1990s has been good for Kazakhstan’s economy and helped
it pull ahead of its neighbors in the region. The country’s leaders also hope to maintain
good relations with Russia. However, Kazakhstan faces serious problems as it moves
forward. These problems include poverty, unemployment, pollution, and corruption.
Games and Sports
Although they don’t have a lot of spare time because of work and family responsibilities,
people in Kazakhstan enjoy participating in or watching a variety of sports, including
soccer, swimming, basketball, volleyball, and horse racing. In the winter, people like to
ski, skate, or play hockey. During rural (countryside) festivals, Kazakhs enjoy wrestling (
kures) and traditional horseback competitions such as kokpar, in which two teams try to
move a goat’s carcass to a central goal. Kazakh boys like asyki, a game similar to
marbles but played with dried sheep bones.
Holidays
New Year’s Day is a favorite holiday. Families and friends gather around a decorated fir
tree, eat, drink champagne, dance, and light fireworks for the New Year celebration
(known as Zhanga Zhyl in Kazakh; Noviy Gohd in Russian). Children usually wear
costumes and wait for Grandfather Frost to deliver gifts. Another major holiday is the
traditional Kazakh New Year and spring festival called Nauryz (22 Mar.). During this
time, many communities have a street festival with Kazakh food, music, and dancing to
mark the coming of spring and the renewal of nature. Christmas is celebrated by many
families. Russian Orthodox families celebrate it on 7 January.
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Food
The foods people eat depend, at least in part, on where they live or what ethnic group
they belong to. Mutton (sheep meat) is a very common food in most Kazakh
households, while horse meat is usually enjoyed on special occasions. Typical
vegetables and fruits include potatoes, cabbages, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes,
apples, pears, melons, and berries, but they can be hard to find in winter, especially in
the north.
A favorite Kazakh dish is called besbarmak (five fingers). It’s made of dough rolled into
thin, wide noodles and cooked in a broth. The noodles are then covered with pieces of
cooked meat and onions. The dish gets its name from how it is eaten—with the hand.
Manti are large steamed dumplings filled with mutton, pumpkin, and onions. Russian
pelmeni are smaller, boiled dumplings. Pierozhki are meat- or potato-filled pastries.
Plov is a favorite Uzbek dish of rice, carrots, onions, and mutton.
People drink hot tea year-round. Summer beverages include the Kazakh kumis
(fermented mare’s milk) and the Russian kvass (a tangy juice made from dried bread).
Schools
Adult Literacy: 99.5%
Children go to school from age seven to seventeen. They attend classes six days a
week. In some schools, students are taught in Kazakh, while in others, they are taught
in Russian. Until the early 1990s, Russian was the primary language used in education,
but now the government encourages Kazakh to be used. If their parents can afford it,
students may attend private or foreign-language (especially English and Turkish)
schools. These schools are becoming more popular in Kazakhstan because public
schools often do not have enough money. After ninth grade, students may transfer to a
technical school to train for a specific job or study for two more years to go to university.
Life as a Kid
Children in the countryside are expected to do chores starting at a very young age.
Girls milk the cows and sweep the floor, while boys fetch water and tend the livestock.
Kids also work in the family garden and then help their parents take the produce to
market to sell. When they have free time, Kazakh children play outside, read, or watch
television. They also enjoy playing soccer and hide-and-seek. In winter they like to go
tobogganing.
In the cities, kids are more likely to participate in sports and hobbies, and they are more
likely to have access to computers, which they use to talk with their friends or play
games on. Also, there are more cultural opportunities in cities. Children can go to the
theater, museums, or the circus. And foods like pizza and hamburgers are more
popular among city kids.
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Government
Capital: Astana
Head of State: Pres. Nursultan Nazarbayev
Head of Government: PM Serik Akhmetov
The president of Kazakhstan, who is elected to a seven-year term, is a powerful figure who controls much of what
happens in the national government. A prime minister helps run the government, but that person is chosen by the
president. The president also appoints some members of the legislature (lawmaking body). However, most are elected.
Kazakhstan’s legislature includes the 47-member Senate (upper house) and the 107-member Majilis (lower house).
Senators serve six-year terms, and members of the Majilis serve five-year terms. The voting age is 18. Critics of
Kazakhstan’s government claim that elections are often unfair and that the government treats its politicians who
disagree with it unfairly.
Money and Economy
Currency: Tenge
Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources. It has some of the world’s largest oil reserves,
and oil production has increased since independence, which has strengthened the
economy. Other valuable natural resources include coal, natural gas, and iron ore.
Kazakhstan’s factories depend on these and other resources to make metals,
chemicals, tractors, construction equipment, and electric motors. Industry employs
about 30 percent of the workforce. Kazakhstan also has a large number of farmers,
who grow wheat and other grains, as well as raise livestock. Despite its vast resources,
Kazakhstan faces large economic challenges, including poverty, unemployment, and
inflation (price increases that make money lose its value). The currency is the tenge.
Getting Around
Most families in Kazakhstan do not own cars. People who live in cities usually walk
where they need to go, ride buses or trolleys, or take taxis. In the countryside, if people
don’t own a car, they ride the bus or even go on horseback. Buses and trains are used
to travel between cities in Kazakhstan, as well as to neighboring countries. Travel by
airplane is too expensive for most people.
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Yurts
A yurt is a circular tent-like structure that was once commonly used by nomads (people
who move from place to place and have no permanent home) in Kazakhstan and other
parts of Central Asia. Yurts were portable houses; they could be taken down and
moved very quickly, usually under an hour. They consisted of a wood frame that was
covered with felt, which the nomads made from sheep’s wool. A fireplace in the center
of the yurt provided a place to cook food and was a source of heat. The temperature
inside the dwelling could be controlled by opening or closing a flap on top of the
structure. The floor and walls were covered with carpets. Traditional, hand-made
decorations adorned the interior. Because nomadic life in Kazakhstan has largely come
to an end, yurts are no longer the essential dwellings they once were, but for many
Kazakhs, yurts are still an important symbol of Kazakh identity.
Learn More
Contact the Embassy of Kazakhstan, 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; phone (202) 232-5488; web site
www.kazakhembus.com. Or contact the Consulate of Kazakhstan, 535 Fifth Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10017;
phone (646) 370-6331; web site www.kazconsulny.org.
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