[kah-zahk-stahn] 
| a republic in central Asia, NE of the Caspian Sea and W of China. 16,898,572; 1,049,155 sq. mi. (2,717,311 sq. km). Capital: Akmola. |
Ka·zakh·stan (kä'zäk-stän', kə-zäk'-)  (click for larger image in new window) A country of west-central Asia south of Russia and northeast of the Caspian Sea. The original Turkic inhabitants were overrun by the Mongols in the 13th century and ruled by various khanates until the Russian conquest of 1730 to 1853. The region became an autonomous republic of the USSR in 1920 and was a constituent republic from 1936 to 1991, when it gained its independence. Astana is the capital and Almaty the largest city. Population: 15,300,000. |
Republic in west-central Asia, bordered on the northwest and north by Russia, on the east by China, on the south by Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and on the west by the Caspian Sea. Its capital and largest city is Alma-Ata.
Note: This former member of the Soviet Union declared its independence in 1990. It possesses valuable oil reserves.
zɑkˈstɑn
