booklet kazakhstan

Kazakhstan country information booklet

Its territory of 2,727,300 square kilometres is larger than Western Europe. It shares borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and

Turkmenistan, and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea. The terrain of Kazakhstan includes atlands, steppe, taiga,

rock canyons, hills, deltas, snowcapped mountains, and deserts. With 17 million people Kazakhstan has the 62nd largest population in the world

CONTENT

Kazakhstan Information booklet 3

Demographic�

Kazakh: 51.06%Russian: 33.02%Uyghur: 5.73%Korean: 1.9%Tatar: 1.82%

Ukrainian: 1.24%Others: 5.23%

Our climate is temperate continental, so you can nd every kind of weather and temperature, you have to be prepared for every case. There

are a lot of differences between the 4 seasons. The coldest month is January, the hottest is July.

5 Kazakhstan today

6 Interesting facts

7 Traditions

9 Holidays

11 Cuisine

Welcome to Kazakhstan - a wonderful country in the centre of Eurasia, where the features of Europe and Asia are harmoniously

combined. In the ninth largest territory of the world tourists will nd a lot of entertainment and attractions

for family holidays and active recreation.


Today Kazakhstan is a country, alluring for its incredible blend of traditions, religions and cultures, diversity of architecture, historical monuments and natural landscapes.

Healing waters, endless steppes and the majestic mountains of Kazakhstan has attracted many travelers from different corners of the world from long ago. Every guest who arrived in modern Kazakhstan is nicely surprised by warm hospitality and genuine friendliness of local people.

Cultural heritage, unique landscapes created by nature and dynamic developed cities provide opportunities for a varied holiday: with family, children, friends and business partners.

Modern Kazakhstan is the most developed country in Central Asia. It is also one of the most attractive investment centers in the world. Strategy of Kazakhstan aims to develop a favorable business climate and political stability that promotes socio-economic sphere of the Republic.

The entry of Kazakhstan into the list of the most competitive countries in the world - is one of the priority tasks in the development strategy of the country's economy. Most important factor of the development is innovative activity. It is based on the development and implementation of new scientic knowledge and technology.

Every year Republic of Kazakhstan is becoming more inuential player on the international stage. It gives the opportunity to attract more visitors and business travelers to the country.

Kazakhstan today



Interestin� fact�Interestin� fact�


Yurta is an unique artifact of the Eurasian nomads, a symbol of the Kazakhs’ everyday life and traditions. Yurta is a portable dwelling, functional house that reects unity with nature, the major principle of the Kazakhs’ ideology. Yurta is the perfect house where it is warm in winter and cool in summer. Yurta is easy to transport and quickly mount.

Yurta symbolizes splendor of mountain peaks and freedom of interminable steps, connects the present and the past. The unique dwelling was used by the nomads

Dastarkhan – ancient tradition of Kazakh feast, saturated with the philosophy of hospitality, family and communicating. Visiting dastarkhan allows entering the spirit of zest of Kazakh customs and even today this traditions is rich in them in particular: good dish of Kazakh cuisine, national games, songs and contests.

Special attention is given to tea-drinking that is as sophisticated and consistent as the ceremonies of other Oriental nations. Every guest is welcomed with tea.Tea is made with the boiled water from samovar in akkuman, a porcelain teapot. Often the Kazakhs drink tea with cream and milk.Modern dastarkhan is based on traditions and customs including traditional dishes and drinks.

YURTA

DASTARKHAN

Tradition�Tradition�


The biggest holiday of people in Kazakhstan is Nauryz. Nauryz is celebrated on the day of vernal equinox, March 22nd, when people shake free of winter severities and enjoy prosperity, safety of wealth and cattle.

The main ritual course of the festival is nauryzdyk that consists of seven traditional products – there was a belief that after having eaten this course a person would never be in need of those products throughout the whole year.

Wishing each other happiness and wellbeing people celebrate Nauryz for three days. They used to begin celebration of “New Year” with symbolic battle of winter and spring – aytys between a girl and a dzhigit. The festival comes to an end with national games and competitions in which everybody tates part irrespective of their age.

Aitys – contest of Kazakh akyns (folk singers), traditionally songs are written under way, with improvisation. Every aitys consists of several statements on a specic topic. Aityses have publicistic nature as they cover topics relevant to people.

The topics are actively discussed afterwards that help resolve some issues. The battle between akyns is satirical, they challenge outlooks on life at the same time comically exaggerating read poems with singing accent, sing songs, use recitative, often playing on the musical instruments. The winner will be the akyn who excelled his opponent at songs and music-making.

NAURYZ

AITYS

Tradition�Tradition�


Holidays

1st January - New Year

Celebrating New Year in Kazakhstan goes back to the Soviet past of Kazakhstan. The feast is celebrated according to European tradition - from December 31 to January 1. This is not the only New Year festival in Kazakhstan; it’s common here to celebrate the New Year festival according to Oriental tradition as well which is called – Nauryz meiramy. Both celebrations are the ofcial New Year's holidays in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

8th March - International Women's Day

In Kazakhstan, this day is associated with mothers and it is a public holiday. The rst gift is usually presented to a mother. At the same time all women are paid attention: wives, sisters, daughters, teachers and friends.

22nd March – Nauryz meiramy

New Year according to the Eastern tradition is a symbol of spring renewal, the triumph of love, fertility and friendship. This is a new year festival according to astronomical solar calendar of Iranian and Turkic people. Nauryz was declared as an International Day after it had been included in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO (30th September 2009).

1st May – Celebration of unity of the people of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan inherited this holiday from the Soviet Union as on the 1st of May all countries of the Soviet Union used to celebrate the International Workers' Day. In the independent Kazakhstan the 1st of May holiday gained the status of the Day of unity of the people of Kazakhstan. On this day parades and entertainment events are organized in the main streets and squares.7th May – Defender of the Motherland Day May 7, 1992 the President of Kazakhstan, Supreme Commander, Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree establishing the national armed forces. The tradition of allocating military ranks and awards was formed on that day.

Holiday�Holiday�


9th May - Victory Day

On May 9, 1945 the Soviet Union countries got a victory in World War II that , the victory formed the future of world civilization. On this day the people of Kazakhstan celebrate the victory that was won thanks to the great sacrice of life. On this day people bring owers to memorials of the defenders of the fatherland, salute them and hold in honor the "eternal ame". On this day various concerts are organized, and in the evening Kazakhstan people watch festival reworks.

6th July - The Day of the Capital

The Day of the Capital in Kazakhstan relates to the interesting fact - the transfer of the state capital from the city of Alma-Ata to Akmola city. After that the cities were renamed. Initially at the local level The Day of the Capital was celebrated on June 20. Since 2006, the Day of the Capital has been celebrated on July 6. It is noteworthy that on this day the rst President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, was born.

30th August - Constitution Day. The Constitution as the fundamental law of the country reects the will of the people of Kazakhstan, its desire to approve the country "as a democratic, secular, legal and social state the highest values of which are an individual, his life, rights and freedoms" (Nazarbaev). The Constitution Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan is celebrated on 30th August, when was ratied at the national Referendum in 1995. On this day city festivals and concerts are traditionally organized.

1st December - The First President Day First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has a special status, constitutionally prescribed. Nursultan Nazarbayev has the credit of the Republic of Kazakhstan that are honored by the people of Kazakhstan on the Day of the First President.

16th December – The Independence Day 16th December – The Independence Day. The Independence Day is the major national holiday. On this day, in 1991 the Supreme Soviet of Kazakhstan adopted a law on the independence and state sovereignty of the Republic. Since The Independence Day is celebrated every year. During the holiday all cities and villages have a lot of holiday concerts and evening sky lights up with recrackers and reworks.


CUISINECUISINE

Besbarmak – traditional meal of the Kazakh national cuisine.The name means "ve ngers", because this dishis eaten by hands.he dish is made up of thin slices of soft paste boiled in broth, they are served up on lyagan with boiled beef or mutton (less often, but horsemeat traditionally) and stewed onions and spicy herbs. The dish is added by tea bowl of chorpa, spicy broth.

Bawyrsak – small doughnuts from fermented or unfermented dough fried in large cooking pot. This is universal farinaceous dish that can be served alone or for example, in addition to chorpa. Bawyrsaks dressed

Kumys – sour-milk sparkling, white drink made from horse milk. Kumys’ taste is nice, with slightly acid avor and sweet. General tonic characteristics and tastiness of this refreshing drink is appreciated not only in Kazakhstan. Kumys is prepared differently depending on ferment and conditions of preparation. Kumys with high concentration of alcohol is quite strong; it intoxicates and brings people into drunken and excited state.

Sometimes it is vice versa, kumys can make people feel relaxed, quiet almost sleepy. Kumys contains antibacterial substance generated by microorganisms during the process of fermentation that provides this drink with antibacterial characteristics, feed value, and capacity to stimulate biological processes in human


CUISINECUISINEShubat – traditional summer sour-milk drink of Kazakhs made from camel milk. The drink is useful against such diseases as asthma, tuberculosis, hepatitis, diabetes and psoriasis.

The process of shubat preparations is simple. Fresh camel milk is poured into wooden container after having added ferment, covered and left to sour. Shubat is stirred up before bringing to the table.

Ayran – a type of sour-milk drink on the basis of katyk, ker, that is widespread among Turkic, North and South Caucasian, Balkan nations. In different regions and among various nations the name of ayran and the technology of processing it have some differences. The common thing is that this milk drink is prepared using lactic-fermentation bacteria.

Ayran of settled peoples is liquid well allays thirst, and ayran of nomads is thick that simplies its storage and transportation. In order to allay thirst ayran is diluted with water, milk or kumys.

Kurt– dry product made of yoghurt cheese with specic brackish-acid taste. With its origin the kurt owe to nomads who needed substantial and useful food with extended storage. Today kurt is also used as an easy-to-store source rich in calcium.

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