Flag of Kazakhstan

Flag of Kazakhstan

  • Officially » Republic of Kazakhstan
  • Capital » Nur-Sultan
  • Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis, and largest trading and cultural centre.

Facts

  • Population » 18 million
    • Kazakhs making up nearly two thirds of the population,
    • Ethnic Russians just under a quarter
  • Languages » Kazakh, Russian
  • Religions » Islam, Christianity
  • Life expectancy » 68 years (men), 77 years (women) (UN)
  • Currency » Tenge

Geography

  • Located in Central Asia
  • Area » 2.7 million sq km (1 million sq miles)
    • A huge country the size of Western Europe
    • Varied landscape:
      • Mountainous, heavily populated regions in the east
      • Sparsely populated, energy-rich lowlands in the west
      • Industrialised north, with its Siberian climate and terrain
      • Arid, empty steppes of the centre
      • Fertile south
  • Land borders with Russia in the north, China in the east, and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan in the south while also adjoining a large part of the Caspian Sea in the southwest.
    • Kazakhstan does not share a border with Mongolia, although only 37 kilometres (23 mi) through Russia separates them
      • This short distance makes it necessary to have a dual/multiple entry Russian visa.

Notes

  • Camels may accompany overlanders in Kazakhstan
  • Former Soviet republic
  • Kazakhstan is oil-rich and has vast mineral resources
  • Hotels are often aimed at business people and therefore price
Map of Kazakhstan

Map of Kazakhstan (Source » France)

Maps

Tourism

  • Canadians can enter Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 days.
    • For stays longer than 30 days, Canadians must obtain either a single- or multiple-entry visa.
      • Single-entry visas allow visitors to remain in Kazakhstan for up to 90 days,
      • Multiple-entry visas are valid for up to three years with a maximum stay of 30 days per entry.
  • Kazakhstan Tourism

Experiences

  • Song-kul Lake – horseback riding and staying with nomadic locals
  • Tian Shan Mountains — great for hiking
  • Livestock market in Taraz – where hundreds of cattle and sheep are on sale
  • Pamir Mountains – running from the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan down to Afghanistan

Overlanding

  • Drive » Right side
  • You need to drive with your headlights on at all times in Kazakhstan
  • Kazakhstan requires you to have insurance
    • Available at most borders.
  • Torugart Pass may be closed during winter months.

Climate

  • Most of Central Asia is covered with deserts and mountains, so expect extreme weather; scorching summers and deadly winters. Spring and autumn (May and September) are the best seasons to visit, as temperatures are milder and conditions not as harsh.

Government Tourist Advice

Posts

Media

Resources

Links

This page was last updated on 2021.06.10 by Robert Vinet