Kazakhstan

At a Glance

Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, a vast Central Asian steppe nation with a nomadic Kazakh culture at its heart, remarkable landscapes from the Altai mountains to the desert-like Mangystau region, and a rapidly modernising capital in Astana. The hospitality traditions of nomadic culture mean guests are treated with genuine generosity, and the country is opening steadily to curious travellers. Those drawn to the unconventional and the vast will find it endlessly surprising.

• Ninth largest country in the world — bigger than Western Europe.
• First country to voluntarily give up nuclear weapons after inheriting them from the USSR.
• The word 'tulip' comes from the Kazakh steppe, where they grew wild.