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Kazakhstan is a beautiful,
ethnically diverse country, bordered by Russia
on the north and China on the east. It is the ninth largest country in the
world at slightly over 1 million square miles. The
landscape is diverse, ranging from high mountains in the east to
plains, subarctic forests, deserts, and shore lines along the
Caspian sea. The country is rich natural resources
including oil, gas, minerals and ore.
Kazakhstan was settled by
nomadic peoples of Turkic and Mongol descent in the 13th
century. Russia conquered the region in the 18th century
and Kazakhstan was formally part of the Soviet Union form 1936
until it became an independent nation in 1991.
When communism ended in Kazakhstan, extremes of poverty and
wealth quickly developed and poverty continues to be a huge
concern there.
Kazakhstan has a
relatively low population density and the people of Kazakhstan
are ethnically and culturally diverse. About half of the
population is of indigenous Kazakh descent and the other half is
of German, Russian, Korean, Chinese, and Ukrainian descent along
with many other nationalities. About half of the people in
Kazakhstan are Islamic; other religious influences include
Russian orthodox and Protestant. [photo
credit]
The Kazakh language, which
belongs to the Turkish family of languages, is the official language
of this country. But in reality, much of the business and
government work is conducted in Russian.
Interested in learning
more about Kazakhstan? Here are some resources to get you
started:
http://kazakhadoptivefamilies.com/CIAinfo.html
- Facts about the geography, people, economy, and
government from the CIA World Fact Book.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1298395.stm
- A concise history of Kazakhstan.
http://kazakhadoptivefamilies.com/info2.html
- This page, part of the extensive Kazakhstan Adoptive
Families website, has both articles on Kazakh culture and links
to more websites.
http://stantours.com/gallery/kz_gal_peo_kid_j_2_05.html
- A website with many beautiful photos of Kazakhstan and
her people
http://kazakhadoptivefamilies.com/cooking.html -
Check here to learn about the food of Kazakhstan.
http://kazakhadoptivefamilies.com/language_index.html
- While you are waiting to bring your child home, why not
learn a little bit of the language?
http://www.kazakhconnection.com/index.htm
- Another great culture website and a shopping site where
you can support
artisans from Kazakhstan.
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