KAZ is the abbreviation for Kazakhstan, the 9th largest country in the world. Officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan is a country located in Central Asia, bordering 5 countries – China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Nur-Sultan is the capital city of Kazakhstan. Top 10 biggest cities are Almaty (population: 2,000,889), Karaganda (population: 451,789), Shymkent (population: 414,021), Taraz (population: 358,142), Nur-Sultan (population: 345,893), Pavlodar (population: 328,891), Ust-Kamenogorsk (population: 319,056), Kyzylorda (population: 300,011), Semey (population: 292,769), and Aktobe (population: 262,446).
Country Profile
- Capital: Nur-Sultan
- Language: Kazakh
- Area: 2,724,900 km2
- Population: 18,448,611
- Currency: Tenge (₸) (KZT)
- Time zone: UTC+5, UTC+6
- Calling code: +7-6xx, +7-7xx
- ISO 2-Letter Abbreviation: KZ
- UN 3-Letter Abbreviation: KAZ
- Internet TLD: .kz
- State Government Website: http://government.kz
List of Kazakhstan Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Kazakhstan are KAZ which stands for Kazakhstan and KZT which means Tenge (Kazakhstan currency). In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Kazakhstan, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
Geography
Kazakhstan is the size of all of Western Europe. Most of the country consists of dry steppe landscape, covered with grass and sand. In the eastern areas are the cold and deserted Altas mountains. The country is without coastal access and has a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. When the country was part of the Soviet Union, the Soviet authorities used the region to test nuclear weapons, as well as dumping toxic waste. This has led to extensive environmental problems and poses a major health risk to the country’s population.
Some areas are radioactive, in addition to many of the rivers being heavily polluted. Lake Aral is considered one of the world’s worst environmental disasters. Water for industry and agriculture was drained from the rivers that ran down to the Aral Sea. This has resulted in the sea being reduced by 70 per cent today. Chemical pollutants are left behind in the desiccated areas, and are blown around with the wind as a hazardous dust.
History
Kazakhstan has been populated by various nomadic tribes since the Stone Age. By the 15th century, the tribes had developed a common language, culture and economy. Historians believe that the Kazakhs were probably the first to tame and ride horses. The threat of a Mongol invasion in the early 18th century caused the tribes to seek protection from the Russian tsar. The Kazakhs viewed the alliance as temporary, while the Russians perceived Kazakhstan as a new region.
In 1920 Kazakhstan became a Russian republic, and in 1936 a Soviet republic. A communist regime was established. Forced collectivization of the land led to famine for the nomads. The Soviet Union launched “The Virgo Land Project” in the 1950s and 1960s. The goal was to cultivate most of the northern grazing areas. Russians were encouraged to relocate to Kazakhstan to cultivate the land., and that the violent migration led to the Russian majority in the population. When Kazakhstan became independent in 1991, large parts of the Russian population moved back to Russia.
Society and politics
Formally, Kazakhstan is today a democratic republic. Since independence in 1991, however, President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his party Nur-Otan (the Fatherland Light), have been in power in the country. The President is the Chief of Defense and can veto Parliament’s bills. The president appoints the government and can dismiss it if he wants to. He can also dissolve parliament, which is elected every five years. The Constitutional Court has been replaced by a constitutional council, where the president has veto power.
In 2000, Nazarbayev expanded his power in a way that allowed him to serve as president for life. There is little respect for freedom of speech and human rights in the country, although the situation has improved a bit since the Soviet era. The opposition in Kashakstan, and international election observers, believed that in recent elections there have been extensive electoral fraud and that the elections do not meet international standards. Nazarbayev has entered into close political cooperation with his daughter. Among other things, she is represented in parliament with her own party, and she owns large parts of the TV and radio institutions in the country.
Economics and Commerce
Kazakhstan appears to be an economic pioneer among the former Soviet states. A tidy economy and market liberal legislation have attracted foreign investment, and after the transition from planned economy to market economy in the 1990s, the economy has remained stable. Large discoveries of oil and gas reserves in the Caspian Sea have led to rapid economic growth, and the country has been able to repay its loans to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The country has experienced somewhat lower growth after the financial crisis in 2008-09 and after the fall in oil prices in 2014. This has particularly affected the country’s poor.
Oil pipelines have made oil exports easier. Exports of raw materials such as natural gas and minerals such as copper, iron and gold are also important sources of income. However, Kazakhstan is characterized by poverty and high unemployment. It is mainly a small group that has benefited from privatization and economic growth. A large proportion of the population are employed in agriculture, and they farm sheep, pigs and cattle, in addition to growing grain and cotton.
UN RPGs
In the 2018/2019 school year, the UN Association offers a game where the student is to resolve a conflict in the Security Council. Kazakhstan is a member of the Security Council and the sections that follow are information related to this game.
Relations with other countries in the UN Security Council
Kazakhstan has a relatively good relationship with the Security Council countries and considers itself an impartial state.
For the United States, Kazakhstan is the most important ally in Central Asia, and like the United States, Kazakhstan is concerned with combating extremism and terrorism. Kazakhstan has even experienced terrorism in the country. The authorities believe the international community plays an important role in this work.
Kazakhstan has a special relationship with Russia. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has continued to have strong ties with Russia, and the two countries have several agreements between themselves. When the Soviet Union disintegrated, Kazakhstan had many nuclear weapons stored in its territory. They disassociated these weapons voluntarily, which they have been praised by the world community.
Tips
With its good diplomatic relations with both Russia and the United States, Kazakhstan has the opportunity to be a bridge builder between the two major powers that constantly disagree. Kazakhstan is clear that the international community plays an important role in resolving the conflict in Yemen. They believe the UN, and in particular the Security Council, must be aware of its responsibilities. The Security Council must show more power to stabilize the entire Middle East, and the members of the Council must not let their political disagreements get in the way of the important work they are set to do. For Kazakhstan, this is especially important when it comes to combating terrorism and extremism.
In the Security Council poll in February 2018 condemning Iran for breaking the weapons blockade against the Houthi, Kazakhstan was one of two abstentions (along with China). They felt that there was insufficient evidence that Iran broke the weapons blockade.
At a meeting of Yemen in the Security Council in April 2018, Kazakhstan stated that they believe the port of Hodeida must be kept open to receive emergency aid and goods. They also believe that the ceasefire of all parties involved is necessary to resolve the humanitarian and economic crisis in Yemen.
Kazakhstan is concerned that the Security Council’s task is not only to resolve conflicts, but also to prevent them. Diplomacy and conflict resolution must start as early as possible. Kazakhstan will probably work to come up with a resolution that says something about how to maintain peace after the end of the war. A peacekeeping plan will be particularly important if Kazakhstan is to agree to resolutions involving military intervention.
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