Kazakhstan

 

This week we are visiting Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country and former Soviet republic, it extends from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains at its eastern border with China and Russia.

It was once called the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic and was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1936 until its dissolution in 1991. 

Its largest metropolis, Almaty, is a long-standing trading hub whose landmarks include Ascension Cathedral, a tsarist-era Russian Orthodox church, and the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan, displaying thousands of Kazakh artifacts.

The capital is Astana although before 1997 the capital was Almaty, it has population of 1,423,726 it is the second largest city in the country. The population of the country is around 20 million.

Kazakhstan is officially a bilingual country those languages are Kazakh and Russian. The currency is the Tenge.

The flag is a light blue field with a gold sun and soaring golden steppe eagle in the centre. Along the hoist side is a vertical band of national ornamentation in gold. The blue represents the endless sky and the unity of the Kazakh people, while the sun and eagle symbolize prosperity and freedom, respectively. The current flag was adopted in 1992, replacing the flag of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. 

When it comes to religion the main ones are Islam and Christianity, the majority of Kazakhs, particularly ethnic Kazakhs, identify as Muslim. Most practice Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school. There are also smaller communities of Shia, Sufi, and Ahmadi Muslims.

A significant portion of the population, especially ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians, identify as Orthodox Christian. Other Christian denominations include Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Pentecostals, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Smaller communities of Jews, Buddhists, and followers of other faiths like the Baha'i faith and Scientology also exist. 

Kazakhstan is a presidential republic, where the President holds significant power. The President serves as both head of state and commander-in-chief, and also appoints the Prime Minister and other cabinet members. The country has a bicameral parliament, consisting of the Senate and the Majilis.

While the constitution outlines democratic principles like freedom of speech and religion, Kazakhstan's political system is described as semi-presidential with a strong executive branch, and there are concerns about the fairness of elections and restrictions on freedoms. 

That will do for now, part two next week.