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Astana
About Astana
Astana is the new capital of Kazakhstan since 1998. It is located in an isolated semi-desert steppe in central Kazakhstan on the Ishim River. A former provincial town, located on the famous Silk Road, is quickly changing into a modern megapolis since the switch of capitals (former seat of the government was Almaty). Many new construction works have been realized, such as Government offices, embassy buildings, new hotels and infrastructure for transportation and communication, resulting in a totally new city center on the left bank of the river Ishim.
Local highlights
Explore the city
- The Modern governmental quarter
- The banks on the river Ishim
- Market hall
- See the theme park with miniature versions of famous monuments like the statue of Liberty and the Eiffel tower
- Visit the aquarium the centre of the city filled with sharks and exotic fish
Explore its museums and historical sights, such as
- Islamic Center
Highlights in the vicinity
- The endless steppe
Good to know
- No. of inhabitants: 520 Thousand
- Timezone: UTC +6
- Weather: The climate in Astana is one of extremes. It gets very hot and sticky in summer (20 °C in June) and freezing cold (-18 °C in January) with harsh winds in the winter.
Local transport
- Taxi
- Buses
Inbound transport
- Nearest airport: International Airport Astana is starting to receive the first regular flights. Most flights still go to Almaty.
- Train: Long-distance rail connections also from Almaty: to Moscow and China
- Car: Astana is fast becoming a transport hub in the very center of the Kazakhstan Republic
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