The vast territory of Kazakhstan spans across 2,700,000 km2 (1,000,000 sq mi). The population density is low in Kazakhstan, and the centers of industry and agriculture are spread out and remote from world markets.
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the unified armed forces of Kazakhstan. It consists of three branches as well as four independent formations. The National Guard, Civil Defense, Border Service and the State Security Service serve as militarized affiliates of the armed forces. The national defence policy aims are based on the Constitution of Kazakhstan. They guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state and the integrity of its land area, territorial waters and airspace and its constitutional order. The armed forces of Kazakhstan act under the authority of the Kazakhstan Ministry of Defence.
The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan oversees a presidential republic. The President of Kazakhstan, currently Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is head of state and nominates the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament.
Kazakhstan is divided into 17 regions. The regions are further subdivided into districts. Three cities, Almaty, Shymkent, and the capital city Astana, do not belong to their surrounding regions.
SuperStar KZ is a reality television show based on the popular British show Pop Idol, which aired from 2003 to 2007 on the Kazakh television channel "Eurazıa Birinşi arnasy". The talent contest determined the best young singers in Kazakhstan by allowing viewers to vote by phone or SMS. A supplementary show SuperStar KZ Dnevnik, shown twice weekly, provided a recap of the previous show and week's events for the contestants.
Turkistan Region, formerly South Kazakhstan Region from 1992 to 2018 and Chimkent Region from 1963 to 1991, is the southernmost region of Kazakhstan. It had a population of 2,088,510 as of 2022; 2,469,367 ; 1,978,339. Its capital is Turkistan, formerly Shymkent until 2018. Other cities in Turkistan include Sayram, Kentau, Arys, Shardara, Zhetisai, Saryagash, and Lenger. This region and Atyrau Region are Kazakhstan's two smallest regions; both are about 117,300 square kilometers in area. Turkistan Region borders the neighboring country of Uzbekistan, as well as three other Kazakhstan regions: Karaganda Region, Kyzylorda Region, and Jambyl Region. The Syr Darya passes through the region, on its way to the Aral Sea. An oil pipeline runs from Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan to Omsk, Russia through South Kazakhstan. Oil, lead and zinc are refined in Shymkent.
Narkhoz University is a university in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It offers courses in economics, business, finance, and law.
The Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools(NIS) is a network of schools for students of age 11 to 18 throughout Kazakhstan. The schools are named after Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev, former president of Kazakhstan, who has promoted the idea as a means of developing the intellectual life of the country. Previously, each school focused primarily on a specific set of subjects: either physical sciences and mathematics, or chemical and biological sciences, as well as foreign languages. Although this division is still represented in the names of schools, most schools share the same curriculum based on Cambridge O Level and A Level, except for NIS IB in Astana. Instruction is trilingual, in Kazakh, Russian and English, shifting to exclusively English by the junior year.
Qazaqstan Radio and Television Corporation is one of the largest media companies in Kazakhstan. It runs four TV channels: Qazaqstan, Qazsport, Balapan, Abai TV; and four radio stations: Qazaq Radiosy, Shalkar, Astana, and Classic. There are also 14 regional TV channels that are part of the corporation.
The Eastern Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan is a metropolitan district or metropolia of the Russian Orthodox Church. Although not autonomous or fully self-governing like the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate, the Church in Kazakhstan has been given some self-government, with jurisdiction over all Orthodox Christians in Kazakhstan. Most of its members are ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, Koreans, and Belarusians resident in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh Ground Forces is the land service branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is one of the three uniformed military services, and is the most senior branch of the Kazakh military in order of precedence. The main tasks of the Ground Forces include the following: maintaining the readiness of troops to repel aggression, the armed defense of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Kazakhstan, protecting the state and military facilities, peacekeeping missions. In its duties, it primarily engages in land warfare and combined arms operations, including armored and mechanized operations as well as airborne and air assault operations. It is headed by a chief military officer, the Commander of the Ground Forces who is also a member of the General Staff.
The National Guard of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the internal military force of Kazakhstan. The National Guard performs the military and civilian functions of the Internal Troops of Kazakhstan, which it succeeded. The National Guard often cooperates in unison with many local Kazakh police departments. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan is the main government agency responsible for the management of the National Guard.
The Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan (MBS-AFK) is a musical department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, which is responsible for the organization of military bands in the armed forces. It oversees the development of all the bands of the Kazakh Armed Forces, as well as provides training and guidance to these bands in their activities. The purpose of military bands in the Kazakh Armed Forces is to build patriotism in the military and improve the morale of the troops through the playing of cultural and national songs. The military band service is based on the HQ Band of the Central Asian Military District, which served the area of the Kazakh SSR in the Soviet era. The Central Band of the Ministry of Defense is the most senior of these bands, with its commander, Major Timur Dzhartibayev, being the Director of Music of the band service. Most of the leadership in the service also work in the State Wind Orchestra of Republic of Kazakhstan.
Eraly Luqpanuly Togjanov is a Kazakh politician, who's currently serving as an Advisor to the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan since May 2024.
Relations between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan began in 1992.
Snap legislative elections were held in Kazakhstan on 19 March 2023 to elect the members of the Mäjilis. This was the ninth legislative election since Kazakhstan's independence in 1991 and the first snap election for the Mäjilis seats since 2016. It was held alongside the local assembly elections.
The Electoral district No. 8 is a single-mandate territorial constituency in Kazakhstan, represented in the lower chamber Mäjilis of the Parliament. It covers the entirety of Abai Region, including all its regional districts, with its seat being located in Semey.
