Kazakhstan is found in the center of western Asia. Kazakhstan borders Russia to the north; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan to the south; and China to the east. Most of the country is in Asia, but a corner of it lies in Europe.
Quick Facts
Population: 18.745 million
Ethnic Groups: Kazakh (68.0%), Russian (19.3%), Uzbek (3.2%), Ukrainian (1.5%), Uighur (1.5%), Tatar (1.1%), German (1.0%), Other (4.4%)
Languages: Kazakh (Official) and Russian (Official)
Religions: Muslim (70.2%), Christian (26.2%) (Russian Orthodox 23.9%, other Christian 2.3%), Other (0.2%), Atheist (2.8%), Unspecified (0.5%)
Capital: Astana
CIA: The World Factbook — Last Updated December 28, 2019
Kazakhstani in Canada
Kazakhstani Population in Canada
3,325
Useful Links
Islam became popular in Kazakhstan in the late 1700s, but ancient animist beliefs were also widespread until the mid-1800s. All religion was suppressed under Communism, and today only recognized religious groups are allowed to practice freely. The majority of the population is Muslim. Traditional Islam is on the rise, and strict religious laws have been put in place to combat radical Islam. Muslim (and Christian, and other religious groups) that do not have a large enough membership are often denied registration, and unregistered groups are harassed and fined by the government. The living standard in Kazakhstan is better than it is in most countries, and Kazakhstan boasts a 99.5% literacy rate.
- Central Intelligence Agency. (2019, December 17). The World Factbook: Kazakhstan. Retrieved December 28, 2019, from https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/kazakhstan/
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- United States Department of State. (n.d.). 2012 International Religious Freedom Report. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2012religiousfreedom/index.htm