Republic of Kazakhstan

Area 2,717,300 sq km (1,049,155 sq miles)

Country population 15,742,717

Capital city (pop) Astana (398,753)

Official languages Kazakh/Russian

Currency tenge

Kazakhstan is situated in the centre of the great Eurasian continent. Kazakhstan is surrounded by Altai Mountains in the South-east and Oral mountains in the North. Kazakhstan covers an area of one million square miles (2, 6 ml. square kilometers).

The country stretches 1,056 miles (1700 km.) from the North to the South and 16864 miles (3000 km.) from the east to the west. In terms of the area, Kazakhstan is the ninth largest in the world after Russia, China, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India and Australia. Kazakhstan is the second largest country of the former Soviet Union. Kazakhstan is almost two times larger size of Alaska and as large as the entire west Europe. The whole territory of Kazakhstan is divided into 14 oblasts, which are in turn divided into districts.

Kazakhstan has no outlets to the ocean. It touches the Caspian Sea in the West and Aral Sea in the South. Kazakhstan shares border with Russia in the North. In the East is China and in the South are the Central Asia Republics: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgysia. The total population is about 16 million.

Major languages are Kazakh and Russian. Major religion: Islam (Sunni branch)

There are more than 7ml.300 thousand Kazakh people in the world. About one million Kazakh people live outside their homeland.

Kazakhstan is rich in minerals resources. It is often described as a store – house of minerals. Almost all the elements of the Mendeleev Periodic Table are found here. Among the 105 elements of the periodic table, 99 are discovered in Kazakhstan. There are explored reserves of 70 minerals. Presently, about 493 fields of mineral resources are discovered in Kazakhstan, which contain 1,225 types of mineral resources.

Kazakhstan’s main economic activities take place in industry, textile, building materials, hydro electric energy, pipeline, material mining, oil refining, dairy cattle, beef’s cattle, herding, mixed crops, grain and so on. The capital of Kazakhstan is Astana. Kazakhstan is a non – nuclear state. Kazakhstan has economic, diplomatic and cultural relations with many countries of the world. Kazakhstan has been the member of the United Nations since 1992.

Kazakhstan declared its independence on the 16th of December, 1991. This day is celebrated as a national holiday – Independence Day.

Kazakhstan is a sovereign republic. The Constitution of the republic was adopted on the 30th of August, 1995. According to the Constitution the fundamental principles of the activity of the Republic are public concord and political stability, economic development for the benefit of all the Nations.

A system of executive power is headed by the Government, led by the Prime-Minister of the Republic who is responsible for its activities before the President of the Republic. The Supreme representative body of power of Kazakhstan, performing legislative functions is the Parliament. It consists of two Houses – Senate and Majilis. The system of juridical bodies of the Republic is led by the Supreme Court. The state body providing Constitutional supremacy in the entire territory of the country is the Constitutional Council. All the laws, adopted by the Parliament, are considered by the Constitutional Council on the subject of their correspondence of the Constitution of the country.

There are 8,500 large and small rivers in Kazakhstan. The largest ones are the Ural and the Emba flowing into the Caspian Sea. The Syrdarya falls into the Aral Sea. The Irtysh, the Ishym and the Tobol run all across the Republic and eventually reach the Arctic Ocean. The largest lakes are Balkhash, Zaisan, Alakol and Tenghiz .

The biggest mountains are Altay, Tarbagatay, Dzhungar, Alatau, North and West parts of Tien Shan.

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1. Where is Kazakhstan situated?

2. With what countries does Kazakhstan share its borders?

3. In what resources is Kazakhstan rich?

4. Does Kazakhstan have any outlets to the ocean?

5. How many oblasts does Kazakhstan have?

6. When did Kazakhstan declare its independence?

7. When was the Constitution of the Republic adopted?

8. What are the fundamental principles of the activity of the Republic?

9. What are the main economic activities of our Republic? 10. What is the capital of Kazakhstan?

Exercise 2. Read and say if the statements are true.

1. Kazakhstan is situated in the Central Asia.

2. Kazakhstan is almost two times larger size of Alaska.

3. It touches the Caspian Sea in the East.

4. Uzbekistan is in the East.

5. Kazakhstan has been the member of the United Nations since 1992.

6. Kazakhstan declared its independence on the 18th of December.

7. The Constitution of the Republic was adopted on the 30th of August 1995.

8. Kazakhstan has economic, diplomatic, cultural relations with many countries.

Exeercise 3. Complete the sentences.

1. Kazakhstan is situated in ………………..

2. Kazakhstan is almost two times ………….

3. It touches the Caspian Sea …………..

4. Kazakhstan has been the ……………..

5. It is often described as a ………………

6. Kazakhstan declared its independence ………………

7. The Constitution of the republic …………….

8. Kazakhstan covers an ……………..

9. Kazakhstan is rich…

10. Monetary unit is…

Exercise 4. Choose from the text combinations which describe:

1. the countries area; 2.Mendeleev Periodic Table:

3. mineral resources; 4.a sovereign republic.

Exercise 5. Study this

Read and translate the text and write the numbers like this: 5,486,352-five million, four hundred and eighty-six thousand, three hundred and fifty-two

Biggest landlocked countries

A landlocked country has no coastline. This means that it has no direct access to the sea and fishing. Also, people and goods travelling to and from the country must go another country. This may be difficult or expensive.

The largest, Kazakhstan, has a coast on the Caspian Sea - which is a landlocked sea. The largest landlocked European country is Hungary (92,300 sq km [35,637 sq miles]). Europe also contains the world's smallest landlocked countries - Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino and Vatican City. All are less than 500 sq km (193 sq miles) in size. Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are both double-landlocked. This means that they are surrounded by other landlocked countries.

Kazakhstan 2,717,300 sq km (1,049,155 sq miles) Mongolia 1,564,116 sq km (603,908 sq miles)

Chad 1,284,000 sq km (495,755 sq miles) Niger 1,267,000 sq km (489,191 sq miles) Mali 1,240,000 sq km (478,766 sq miles)

Ethiopia 1,127,127 sq km (435,186 sq miles

Bolivia 1,098,580 sq km (424,164 sq miles)

(From Whitaker’s world of facts. Russell Ash London 2010)

• Comment on the following saying.

East or West, home is best.

• Prepare a report on one of the suggested topics:

1. Republic of Kazakhstan (find more information about Kazakhstan)

2. The symbols of Kazakhstan

3. The history of the first flag and emblem in our country?

4. The national flag of Republic Kazakhstan

5. The national emblem of Republic Kazakhstan

Do exercises from Macmillan English grammar in use.

Lesson 3

Participation in the United Nations (Foreign policy)

Grammar: Review. Времена группы Continuous

Read and translate the text. Get ready to retell it.