I.

Introduction

Kazakhstan, republic in Central Asia, bordered on the north by Russia; on the east by China; on the south by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan; and on the west by the Caspian Sea and Russia. It was formerly the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

With an area of 2,717,300 sq km (1,049,200 sq mi)—roughly five times the area of France—Kazakhstan is the second-largest member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Almost all of Kazakhstan is located in Asia, but a small portion is located in Europe. Astana is the capital.