Kazakhstan
A country rich in history, culture, and resources, gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. With borders on China and Russian, Kazakhstan is the second largest country of the former Soviet Union and covers two time zones.

It is comprised of 14 regions that include mountains, deserts, and plains. The climate is as varied as the land and can be as cold as Moscow or as hot as the Mediterranean regions. Kazakhstan's official language is Kazakh but in the greater metropolitan areas of the country, Russian is spoken and understood by many. The city of Astana was declared the capital in 1997 and is located in the north-central region of the country.