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Kazakhstan Travel Information
Travel Alert Status
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Time Difference
UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)time zone note: Kazakhstan has two time zones
Travel Climate
The climate throughout Kazakhstan is continental and dry, and there are four distinct seasons. The weather in Almaty is very moderate, and consecutive rainy days are rare. Winter temperatures and snowfall are rarely extreme (i.e., rarely below 0°F), and the wind is light. During the 4-5-month summer average high temperatures are usually in the low to mid-80's F. "Golden Fall," is perhaps the most pleasant season, particularly in Almaty, with brilliantly clear, dry days, colorful autumn leaves, and pleasant temperatures.
In Astana strong winds, long winters, and December-January temperatures periodically fall below 0°F. The summers are generally dry and sunny, but the weather changes rapidly and it is not uncommon to have a rainy morning followed by a sunny afternoon. Average summer highs in Astana are in the low 80's.
Travel Currency
tenge (KZT)
Language Spoken
Kazakhstan is in the process of changing the alphabet from Cyrillic to Latin.
Languages
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95%
Ethnic Groups
Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Uygur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)
National Holiday
Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
Geographic Coordinates
48 00 N, 68 00 E
Location
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Zhayyq) River in eastern-most Europe