Astana
Astana, estimated population 500,000 (2003, the city is very fast-growing), has been the capital of Kazakhstan since 1997. "Astana," the name it has had since that date, means "the Capital". This name has been chosen because it is easily pronounced in many languages.
Geography
The city is located in central Kazakhstan on the Ishim River it is located in the very flat, semi-desert region that makes up the majority of the nation.
Economy
Politics is Astana's major industry. Astana forms a Special Economic Zone.
History
The city was founded as a fortress called Akmolinsk in 1824. In 1961, it was renamed Tselinograd and made capital of the Soviet Virgin Lands Territory (Tselinny Kray).
After Kazakhstan gained its independence, the city and the region were renamed Aqmola ("White Grave", 1991), and in 1994, it was designated as the future capital of the newly-independent country. After the capital was moved there from Almaty in 1997, the city was again renamed. Since then it has seen one of the world's greatest building projects as oil money has been spent on ministerial buildings, a massive home for the president, and numerous parks and monuments. The project, engineered by President Nursaltan Nazarbayev is designed not just to make the town the centre of Kazakhstan, but of all Central Asia.