Question 1

What is the population of Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

The population of Kazakhstan is approximately 19.9M.

Question 2

How do people greet each other in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Friends usually embrace when meeting and then talk about the well-being of each other's livestock. Do: Embrace friends when you meet them Ask about the health of their livestock

Question 3

What are dining customs like in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Meals often begin with tea (chai) served alongside breads, nuts and sweets, followed by a main dish that may be boiled mutton, and the oldest family member has the honor of serving. Do: Accept offers of refreshments, as a host is offended if you refuse Try traditional dishes like besbarmak, kuyrdak, pulau and qazy Enjoy milky drinks such as koumyss (fermented mare's milk) and shubat (fermented camel milk) Don't: Don't decline offers of food or drink from your host At a dastarkhan feast an entire sheep may be slaughtered, with parts given to family members as symbols of desired traits (e.g., the tongue for better speaking) Guests may be given fermented mare's milk to drink

Question 4

What etiquette should visitors know in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Hospitality is central to Kazak culture; guests are welcomed warmly, made comfortable, and even a traveler will be put up for the night in any Kazak's home. Do: Accept invitations such as "Come to my dastarkhan" Allow yourself to rest as a guest Don't: Don't ask your host questions, as it is considered bad manners Don't take off your shoes in someone's home

Question 5

How do people dress in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Urban Kazaks wear Western-style clothes, while traditionally Kazaks liked to wear boots with a pair of felt stockings in winter.

Question 6

Are there gestures to avoid in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Pointing and taking off one's shoes are considered impolite. Don't: Don't point Don't take off your shoes

Question 7

What is family life like in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Just over half of Kazakhstanis live in cities, mostly in apartments, and due to a housing shortage many families live in small spaces or with relatives. By tradition, the youngest son looks after his parents in old age and lives with or near them Women who marry into a Kazakh family are expected to show special respect for their husband's parents Some traditional herders live in felt tents called yurtas that can be packed up in an hour

Question 8

What sports and games are popular in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Kazakhs created many games played on horseback, sometimes at wild speeds, along with other traditional pastimes. Kokpar is like polo, with horseback teams competing to drag a headless goat carcass into the opponent's goal Kumis alu ("pick up the coin") involves galloping riders bending to grab a coin or handkerchief Kyz kuu ("overtake the girl") is a galloping chase game between a girl and a male rider Boys play assyk, tossing a small sheep bone toward a pile of bones

Question 9

What is the capital of Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan. The city was designated the national capital in 1998, replacing Almaty, the country's largest city, which had served in that role since independence. Almaty remains Kazakhstan's primary commercial and financial hub. Astana was developed with ambitious modern architecture and serves as a symbol of the country's post-Soviet national identity and ambitions on the world stage.

Question 10

Where is Kazakhstan located?

Accepted Answer

Kazakhstan is located in Central Asia, straddling the vast interior of the Eurasian landmass. It occupies a largely flat, semi-arid expanse stretching from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east. As one of the world's largest landlocked countries, it sits at a geographic crossroads between Europe, Russia, and the Asian heartland, a position that has shaped its history and its role in regional trade and energy markets.

Question 11

What countries border Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Kazakhstan shares borders with five countries. To the north and west lies Russia, its longest border; to the east are China and a brief frontier with Mongolia; and to the south are Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The country's western edge is bounded by the Caspian Sea. This network of borders reflects Kazakhstan's historic role as a passage zone between Eurasian civilizations and its ongoing importance as a regional transit corridor.

Question 12

What is the main religion practiced in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Islam is the most widely practiced religion in Kazakhstan, observed by approximately 47 percent of the population, predominantly among ethnic Kazakhs and other Turkic communities who follow the Sunni tradition. Russian Orthodox Christianity is the second major faith, adhered to by roughly 44 percent of the population, reflecting the significant Slavic communities that settled during the Soviet era. The country maintains a secular constitution, and religious practice tends to be moderate across both traditions.

Question 13

What is the currency of Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

The currency of Kazakhstan is the Tenge, with the ISO code KZT. The tenge was introduced in November 1993, replacing the Soviet ruble following Kazakhstan's independence in 1991. As the country developed its substantial oil and natural gas sector, the tenge became closely linked to global energy prices. The National Bank of Kazakhstan manages monetary policy and has periodically adjusted the exchange rate in response to fluctuations in commodity markets.

Question 14

What languages are spoken in Kazakhstan?

Accepted Answer

Kazakh (also written Qazaq) is the state language, spoken by approximately 64 percent of the population, and has been promoted actively since independence as a cornerstone of national identity. Russian holds official status as the language of interethnic communication and is understood or spoken by around 95 percent of residents, reflecting the legacy of Soviet rule. Both languages appear on government signage and in public life, and Russian remains dominant in business, higher education, and urban settings.

Question 15

What is Kazakhstan known for?

Accepted Answer

Kazakhstan is known above all for its enormous reserves of oil and natural gas, which have made it one of the most economically significant countries in Central Asia since independence. The country is also recognized for Lake Balkhash in the east, a natural curiosity that contains fresh water in its western half and salt water in its eastern half. Traditional Kazakh culture is celebrated through the toi, an elaborate wedding gathering that unites extended families, and through a deep custom of hospitality that historically obliged any household to shelter a passing traveler for the night.

Question 16

What is the geography of Kazakhstan like?

Accepted Answer

Kazakhstan is one of the largest countries in the world by land area, encompassing a vast and varied terrain across Central Asia. The landscape is dominated by expansive steppes, semi-desert, and desert in the south and center, with the fertile, cultivated plains of the north — historically targeted by the Soviet-era Virgin Lands agricultural program in the 1950s and 1960s. Mountain ranges, including the Altai and Tian Shan, rise along the eastern and southeastern borders, while the western edge of the country meets the Caspian Sea.

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