Country book · Asia

Kazakhstan

Steppe, space rockets, and Silk Road echoes

Kazakhstan is the size of Western Europe, a vast steppe nation where nomadic horseback tradition meets a futuristic capital built from scratch and the launch pad that sent Yuri Gagarin into space. Nine time zones' worth of landscape hides Silk Road cities, salt lakes and snow leopards.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

Kazakhstan really is the world's largest landlocked country
It spans nine time zones' worth of territory east to west, roughly the size of Western Europe.
The Baikonur Cosmodrome launched the first human into space
Yuri Gagarin lifted off from here in 1961, and it remains a major active launch site today, leased from Kazakhstan by Russia.
Horseback culture is still central to identity
Eagle hunting, kokpar (a horseback goat-carcass game) and fermented mare's milk (kumis) remain widely practiced.
Astana (Nur-Sultan) was purpose-built as a capital
The government moved the capital from Almaty in 1997, building futuristic architecture on the steppe within two decades.

Commonly believed, wrong

"Kazakhstan is a desert wasteland"
It has steppe grassland, the snow-capped Tian Shan mountains, forests and Central Asia's largest lake, Balkhash.
"It's culturally identical to Russia"
Kazakh is a Turkic language and nomadic Kazakh traditions predate Russian influence by centuries, though Soviet-era ties remain strong.
"Everyone still lives a nomadic lifestyle"
The majority of Kazakhs today live in modern cities like Almaty and Astana, though rural traditions persist.
"It's the same as the satirical film portrayal"
The 'Borat' caricature bears no resemblance to the country's diverse, modern, Muslim-majority society.

Highlights

The best of Kazakhstan

Charyn Canyon

A dramatic red-rock canyon often compared to a mini Grand Canyon, near Almaty.

Almaty and the Tian Shan mountains

A green city backed by snow-capped peaks and the Medeu ice rink.

Astana's futuristic skyline

The Bayterek Tower and glass Khan Shatyr tent dominate the steppe capital.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome

The launch site of the first human spaceflight, still active today.

Culture

Cultural riches

Nomadic horseback traditions

Kokpar and horse games remain central to festivals like the World Nomad Games hosted regionally.

Eagle hunting

Kazakh berkutchi hunters train golden eagles, a tradition passed down for generations.

Yurt craftsmanship

Felt yurts, still used seasonally by herders, are richly decorated with symbolic patterns.

Dombra music

A two-stringed lute central to Kazakh folk storytelling and epic poetry.

Food

What to eat

Beshbarmak

Boiled meat and wide noodles topped with onion sauce, considered the national dish.

Kumis

Fermented mare's milk, slightly alcoholic and tangy, a nomadic staple for centuries.

Baursak

Deep-fried dough puffs, often served with tea or honey at gatherings.

Kazy

Horse meat sausage, seasoned and often served at celebrations and on special plates.

Shubat

Fermented camel milk, richer and thicker than kumis, popular in southern regions.

Music

World-famous voices

Dimash Qudaibergen

The six-octave voice.

Ninety One

Q-pop pioneers.

Roza Rymbaeva

Legendary singer.

Scriptonite

Influential rapper-producer.

Irina Kairatovna

Genre-blending collective.

History

Important people in history

Ablai Khan

1711 — 1781

Unified Kazakh tribes and navigated relations between the Russian and Qing empires in the 18th century.

Nursultan Nazarbayev

b. 1940

First president of independent Kazakhstan, led the country from 1991 to 2019 and built the new capital.

Kenesary Khan

1802 — 1847

Led a major Kazakh uprising against Russian imperial expansion, remembered as a national resistance figure.

Cities