Kazakhstan I love you

From towering mountains to desert and steppe, from blistering summers to bitter winters, and from the wealth of the oil fields to the economic decay in remote villages, Kazakhstan is a nation of extremes. As the largest country in Central Asia, it is an economic and political leader in the region. With a stable government and its enormous oil, gas and mineral reserves (that have helped propel the economy since independence from the USSR in 1991), the glories of a land once roamed by warrior nomads and traders of the Great Silk Road are evident.

Kazakhstan is the 9th largest nation in the world but is inhabited by only 16 million people. It is possible to travel across this vast land for days and to see more camels than people. Whilst ethnically diverse with a host of traditions, all Kazakhstanis pride themselves on their hospitality. At every opportunity, all 16 million are eager to ply the stranger with horse-meat sausage and fermented camel’s milk. Communication isn’t difficult as it is not uncommon to meet people fluent in all three of Kazakhstan’s official languages – Kazakh, Russian and English. In Kazakh, “I love you” literally translates as “I see you well”. Like every nation, Kazakhstan has its problems, but when we truly “see” this magnificent country we cannot help but fall a little in love.