Astana, Kazakhstan
This is an amazing city unique in its beauty, architectural structures, ancient monuments and a rich history of development. Throughout its existence, it has changed names several times: until 1997 it was called Akmola, and since 1998 it has been called Astana (from Kazakh. Astana — "capital"). In the 20th century, the city was named Akmolinsk, and later during the Soviet Union Tselinograd. In 1997, by the decree of the President of Kazakhstan, Astana became the capital of the Republic. The decision to move the capital from Almaty to Astana was due to the convenient geopolitical location of the city, at the intersection of the most important transport corridors, the availability of the necessary transport and information infrastructure, free land for the development of the capital. And very soon it was confirmed that this decision was absolutely correct, as Astana rapidly turned into the center of the economic, political and cultural life of the country.
Location of Astana
The city is located in the central part Kazakhstan on the Ishim River in a very low, semi-desert area, which makes up the majority of the country's territory. The elevation of Astana above sea level is 347 m . Astana is located on a vast steppe landscape.
Population Astana
To date, the population of the capital has already reached the half-million mark. As of April 1, 2008, it was 653.8 thousand people. residents. According to the calculations of the research group of the Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Forecasting, by 2030 more than 1 million people will live in Astana. 200 thousand people. Many believe that the attraction of ethnic Kazakhs to the north has become one of the factors in the transfer of the capital from Almaty to Astana. After all, Astana is an international city where people of many nationalities live, mainly from the post-Soviet space. According to the census, the largest ethnic group is the titular nation of the country-Kazakhs 60% of the city's population, anyway, 40% of the Russian population lives in the capital, 5.7% — Ukrainians, 3.8% — Uzbeks, 3.0% — Germans, 2.6% — Tatars, 1.8% — Belarusians, 0.8% — Poles, Ingush-0.6%, Koreans-0.6%.
Architecture
Of course, the decoration of modern Astana has become new architectural structures that have unrecognizably changed the appearance of the city.Bright avenues, blue-and-white palaces, fountains, ultra-modern office and residential buildings, golden domes of the mosque were built in just 11 years. Foreign scientists, craftsmen, and leading construction companies were involved in the design of the facilities.
Economy of Astana
In 2002, a decree was issued on the creation of a Special economic zone "Astana — New City", which provided a favorable investment climate and allowed attracting private investors. In 2006, the strategic plan for the sustainable development of the city until 2030 was approved.
In 1999 Astana was awarded a medal and a certificate of the winner of the International competition "Cities for Peace". Since that time, Astana has held the title of "City of Peace" and, being a UNESCO Prize laureate, has made a positive contribution to the formation of the international image of Kazakhstan as a rapidly developing Eurasian state.
And in 2013 Astana was chosen as the venue EXPO 2017 – the largest international specialized exhibition, which demonstrates the latest scientific and technical achievements, development prospects, as well as the history, traditions and culture of countries around the world. For Kazakhstan, EXPO-2017 will be a landmark event: never before has an international exhibition of this scale been held in the countries of the Central Asian region and the CIS.
History of Astana
In the VIII century, the territory of Kazakhstan was inhabited by Turkic tribes, who organized meetings in the summer to discuss economic, military and livestock issues. The headquarters of the tribal leaders was located on the territory of modern Astana. Later, trade fairs were held at this place, where a variety of goods were sold.
Internet resources for Astana and Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan Tours — Tours to Uzbekistan from Astana