Kazakhstan

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Kazakhstan
• Foreign relations of Kazakhstan
• Kipchaks
• List of Kazakh historical figures
• Media in Kazakhstan
• Military of Kazakhstan
• Transportation in Kazakhstan

Environmental issues

In part because of the country's enormous semi-arid steppe, the Soviet government used Kazakhstan as its nuclear testing site, and this, along with near-absent pollution controls, has contributed to an alarmingly high rate of disease in many rural areas. Kazakhstan has identified at least two major ecological disasters within its borders-- the shrinking of the Aral Sea and radioactive contamination at the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing facility (in fact a large zone south of Koursatov) and along the Chinese border.

Related Topics:
Steppe - Soviet - Nuclear testing - Pollution controls - Disease - Ecological disasters - Aral Sea - Radioactive contamination - Semipalatinsk - Koursatov

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The Central Asian Regional Environmental Center is located in Kazakhstan, which fosters regional cooperation on environmental issues.

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Cosmodrome

Kazakhstan possesses the Soviet equivalent to the United States' Cape Canaveral, where the Soviet Union launched its version of the space shuttle and the well-known space station Mir. Russia currently leases approximately 6,000 km² of territory enclosing the Baikonur Cosmodrome space launch site in south central Kazakhstan.

Related Topics:
Cape Canaveral - Mir - Baikonur Cosmodrome

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Sport

Cycling

Talented cyclist Alexander Vinokourov represents Kazakhstan in his cycling career for the German T-mobile team. Vinokourov has an impressive cycling record finishing third overall in the 2003 Tour de France. Vinokourov finished 5th in the 2005 Tour de France, while two other young Kazakhs, Kashechkin and Iglinskiy, finished 19th and 37th, respectively.

Related Topics:
Cyclist - Alexander Vinokourov - 2003 - Tour de France - 2005

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Professional cyclist Andrei Kivilev died after a crash in the 2003 edition of the Paris-Nice race.

Related Topics:
Andrei Kivilev - 2003 - Paris-Nice

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Rhythmic gymnastics

Aliya Yussupova ended up 4th in Summer Olympic Games in Athens. She has been among medal winners in several previous tournaments. Currently, she is one of the top rhythmic gymnasts in the world.

Related Topics:
Summer Olympic Games - Athens

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Boxing

Kazakh boxers are generally well known in the world. In last 3 Olympic games their performance was assesed as one of the best and they had more medals than any countries in the world except Cuba and Russia (in all three games). In 1996 and 2004 two Kazakh boxers (Vasiliy Jirov-1996 and Bakhtiyar ARTAYEV -2004) were recognised as the best boxers for their techniques with the Val Barker trophy, awarded to the best boxer of the tournament.

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Kazakh boxers are renowned for their incredible performance in Sydney, 2000. Two boxers, Bekzat Sattarkhanov and Yermakhan Ibraimov, earned gold medals. Another two boxers, Bulat Jumadilov and Mukhtarkhan Dildabekov, earned silver medals.

Related Topics:
Boxers - Sydney, 2000 - Gold medal - Silver medal

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Trivia

The old name of the city, Alma-Ata means 'Father of Apples', derived from the wild apples that grow naturally in the area. Apples were first cultivated in this area, and Kazakhstan's apple stock is the most biologically diverse in the world.

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Kazakhstan appears in the film Air Force One (with Harrison Ford), The World Is Not Enough (James Bond), and Rollerball (with Jean Reno).

Related Topics:
Air Force One - Harrison Ford - The World Is Not Enough - James Bond - Rollerball - Jean Reno

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The ice skating rink 'Medeo' that lies up in the mountains about 45 minutes outside of the city is the largest outdoor rink in the world.

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