Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is the world's largest landlocked country, and the ninth largest country in the world, with an area of 2,724,900 square kilometres (1,052,100 sq mi). It is a transcontinental country largely located in Asia; the most western parts are in Europe. Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically, generating 60% of the region's GDP, primarily through its oil and gas industry. It also has vast mineral resources.
Almaty, formerly known as Alma-Ata and Verniy, is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population of 2,039,376 people, about 11% of the country's total population, and more than 2.7 million in its built-up area that encompasses Talgar, Boraldai, Otegen Batyr and many other suburbs. It served as capital of the Soviet and later independent Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1997. In 1997, the government relocated the capital to Astana in the north of the country and about 12 hours away by train.
Air Astana is the flag carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan, based in Almaty. It operates scheduled, domestic and international services on 64 routes from its main hub, Almaty International Airport, and from its secondary hub, Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport. It is a joint venture between Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna (51%), and BAE Systems PLC (49%). It was incorporated in October 2001 and started commercial flights on 15 May 2002.
SCAT Airlines, legally PLL SCAT Air Company, is an airline with its head office on the property of Shymkent Airport in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. It operates services to all of the major cities of Kazakhstan and to neighbouring countries. Its main base is Shymkent Airport, with focus cities at Aktau Airport, Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport and Almaty International Airport.
Almaty International Airport is the largest international airport in Kazakhstan. It is about 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Almaty, the country's largest city and commercial capital. Almaty airport accounts for half of passenger traffic and 68% of cargo traffic to Kazakhstan. In 2012, the airport handled 4,003,004 passengers, including 1,997,570 arriving passengers, and 2,005,434 departing passengers.
Almaty Metro is a rapid transit/metro system in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The first line of the system was opened on 1 December 2011, after more than 23 years of construction. A 2.9-kilometre (1.8 mi), two-station extension of the Metro to Moskva station opened on 18 April 2015.
Alfina Nassyrova is a Kazakh model who won the national pageant Miss Kazakhstan in 2007 held at the Abai State Kazakh National Opera & Ballet Theatre in Almaty. She went on to represent Kazakhstan in Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam, on 14 July 2008, and Miss World 2008 in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 13 December 2008. She was not placed in Miss Universe, but she was among the Top 15 in Miss World.
Miss Kazakhstan is a national beauty pageant in Kazakhstan.
The 2004 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship was the 5th staging of the AVC Club Championships. The tournament was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The local club Rahat Almaty won the championship after finishing tied with 4-1 with the Chinese silver medalists Bayi Yiyang High-Tech District and bronze winners Chung Shan from Chinese Taipei. The result was resolved by the set ratio.
Miss Universe 2013, the 62nd Miss Universe pageant, was held on 9 November 2013 at the Crocus City Hall, Krasnogorsk, a suburb of Moscow, Russia. Olivia Culpo of the United States crowned her successor Gabriela Isler of Venezuela at the end of the event. 86 contestants competed for the crown.
Hossein Tayyebi Bidgoli is an Iranian futsal player. He is a member of Kairat Almaty and the Iran national futsal team, for which he played 130 matches and scored 150 goals. His first match with the national team was in 2009 at the age of 20. He was ranked Top Goalscorer at the 2014 (15) and 2018 AFC Futsal Championship (14), and 5th Best Player in the World at the UMBRO Futsal Awards in 2017 and 2018. His current club, Kairat Almaty, came 2nd in the 2019 Futsal Champions League.
Zhazira Nurimbetova is a Kazakh beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Kazakhstan 2012.
Aygerim Kozhakanova is a Kazakhstani beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Kazakhstan 2013 for Miss Universe 2013. She competed at the pageant in Moscow, Russia.
Paulina Vega Dieppa is a Colombian model, television host, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Colombia 2013 and Miss Universe 2014. Vega is the second Miss Universe from Colombia.
Aiday Isaeva is a Kazakh beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss Kazakhstan 2013. Isaeva represented Kazakhstan at the Miss Universe 2014 pageant.
Regina Vandysheva is a Kazakhstani model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Kazakhstan 2014 and represented her country at Miss World 2015 pageants.
Regina Valter is a Kazakhstani model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Almaty 2015 and later placed 3rd runner-up to Alia Mergenbaeva at the Miss Kazakhstan 2015 pageant.
Miss Universe 2017, the 66th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 26 November 2017 at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Iris Mittenaere of France crowned her successor Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa at the end of the event.
Sabina Zairovna Azimbayeva is a Kazakhstani model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Almaty 2017 and represented Kazakhstan in Miss Universe 2018. She placed in the top five at Miss Kazakhstan 2018.
