Guide to Kazakhstan

Full name: Republic of Kazakhstan
Location: Central Asia bordering Russia, China , Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan
Population: 15.4 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: Astana
Largest city: Almaty
Area: 2.7 million sq km (1 million sq miles)
Major languages: Kazakh, Russian
Major religions: Islam, Christianity
Life expectancy: 58 years (men), 69 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Kazakh tenge = 100 tiyn
Main exports: Oil, uranium, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal
GNI per capita: US $2,930 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .kz
International dialling code: +7
Time Zone: GMT + 4/5 hours
Flight Time: Seven hours
Currency: Tenge (£1= 250 Tenge)
Electricity: 220V 50HzHz. Use the European two pin plug
Language: Russian is spoken everywhere but Kazakh is making a comeback. English is spoken in the larger hotels in the main cities.
Entry Requirements: UK nationals do require a visa. You will need a valid passport (6 months upon exit), one clear page in your passport, one passport sized photograph and one completed application form in block capitals.
When To Go: Summers are extremely hot and winters are bitterly cold so the best time to go would be spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October). In April, the desert blooms briefly and landscapes explode in reds, oranges and yellows. Autumn is harvest time.

12 December 2007