Kazakhstan

Topography: The Altay and the Tian Shan ranges are in the east and the north-east, occupying about 12 % of the territory; more than three-quarters of territory is desert or semi-desert; the biggest rivers are the Ural, the Emba, the Syr Darya, the Irtysh, the Ishim and the Tobol.
Climate: Continental and very dry except in the eastern mountains, where the snowfall is heavy with wide temperature variation between winter and summer.
Population: 14.9 million people; growth rate is -1.0% a year; 55% of population is urban, 45% rural. About 126 nations; 53% of population are Kazakhs.
Language: Kazakh, Russian.
Religion: Sunni Muslims -47%; Russians Orthodox-44 %; Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Buddhists and others-9 %.
Education: Compulsory secondary education - 11 years; there are 126 universities.
Health: Health care is generally free of charge; some efficient private practices have been introduced recently.
Culture: Culture is based on traditional nomadic lifestyle; handicrafts, variety of food and very rich musical culture.

Cuisine: Kazakh national cuisine is a mirror reflection of the very soul of the nation and its history. Traditional Kazakh cuisine always gives preference to boiled foods. Meat is the basis of the majority of meals. Kazakhs prepare delicious kazy, smoked horsemeat sausage. Served on special occasions sliced with cold noodles it is called naryn. Such delicacies as shuzhyk, zhal, zhaya and karta are other kinds of horsemeat sausage. Zhuta is pasta shaped like a Swiss roll with a carrot and pumpkin filling. Widespread is the use of milk and sour milk products. It is well explainable because kumys (fermented mare's milk), shubat (camel's milk) and airan (sour milk beverage) are easy to store in conditions of nomad life.

Major industries: Mining industry, especially oil and gas production, metal processing, machine building, chemicals, textiles, food processing, agriculture, grain production.
Main trading partners: Russia, Ukraine, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, South Korea and China.
Ecology: Major problem to be solved as a result of industrial influence.
Money: Currency - Tenge (KZT).
Popular tourist destinations: Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve, Almaty, Burabai, Taraz, Turkestan, and Zailiyski Alatau.