Kazakhstan

COUNTRY OVERVIEW
President: Nursultan Nazarbayev
Capital Alma-Ata (Almaty)
Prime Minister: Kasymzhomart Tokayev
Population (Mid 1999): 16.8 million
Major Languages: Russian, Kazakh
Ethnic Divisions: Kazakh (40%), Russia (38%), other Slavs (7%),
Germans (6%), other (9%)
Religious Affiliations Muslim, Russian Orthodox, Lutheran

ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
Exchange Rate (04/13/2000): $1 U.S. = 142.34 Tenge
Official Unemployment Rate (1999E): 3.7%
Major Exports: oil, metals, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal
Major Imports: machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil and
gas, consumer goods
Agriculture: Grain, mostly spring wheat, meta, cotton, wool
Industries: Extractive industries, iron and steel, nonferrous
metal, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,
construction materials
Enviroment
Climate: Dry continental, about half is desert
Major Environmental Issues: Radioactive or toxic chemical sites
associated with its former defense industries and test ranges
are found throughout the country and pose health risks for
humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea
have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and
leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural
salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and
blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea;
soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and
salination from faulty irrigation practices

Culture:
Arts and Crafts: Small articles made of stone, bone,
ceramics, metal, and clay. Castings of tin and bronze.
Embroidery and mat and carpet weaving. Frequently a "Syrmak", a
traditional hand-made carpet, decorates the interiors of the
Kazak houses.

Holidays: "Nauryz" is a holiday of spring. Hence abundance
of festive rites and atributes.
When the holiday comes, Kazakhs would put on festive clothes,
pay visits to each other, exchange congratulations, best
wishes of well-being and good luck in the coming year.


Some more Holiday's in Kazakhstan:
January 1-2 Happy New Year! (We celebrated New Year's at
the orphanage)
March 8 International Woman Day
March 22 Nauryz Meiramy (Oriental New Year)
May 1 Unity of Kazakstan folks` Day
May 9 Victory Day
August 30 Constitution of the Republic of Kazakstan`s Day
October 25 Republic Day
December 16 Independence Day

"Berkutchi"-hunting with a golden eagle, is a tradition that
has been practiced for ten centuries. It is said that
presenting a youngeser with a fledgeling of a hunting bird is
wishing him to be a brave and strong young fellow.

Music: There are more than 50 varieties of Kazak instruments.
They are made from materials such as wood, reed, cane,
leather, bane, horn, and horse's hair.

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