Kazakhstan (also spelled Kazakstan, Kazakiya, Qazaqiya, lang-kk?????????, ???????, ????? ???, Qazaqstan, ?????????, pronounced IPA2q?z?qst??n; lang-ru????????? IPA-ruk?z?x?stan, ???????), officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country in Eurasia ranked as the ninth largest (List of countries by area) country in the world. It is also ranked the worlds largest landlocked country, its territory of 2,727,300 km� is greater than Western Europe. It is neighbored clockwise from the north by Russia, China (Peoples Republic of China), Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and also borders on a significant part of the Caspian Sea. The capital was moved in 1997 from Almaty, Kazakhstans largest city, to Astana.

Vast in size, the terrain of Kazakhstan ranges from flatlands, steppes, taigas, rock-canyon (Canyon)s, hills, deltas, and snow-capped mountains to deserts. With 16.2 million people (2010 census). Kazakhstan has the 62nd largest (List of countries by population) population in the world, though its population density (List of countries by population density) is less than 6 people per square kilometre (15 per sq. mi.).

For most of its history, the territory of modern-day Kazakhstan has been inhabited by nomadic tribes (nomads). By the 16th century the Kazakhs emerged as a distinct group, divided into three hordes (J�z). The Russians began advancing into the Kazakh steppe in the 18th century, and by the mid-19th century all of Kazakhstan was part of the Russian Empire. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, and subsequent civil war (Russian Civil War), the territory of Kazakhstan was reorganised several times before becoming the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936, a part of the USSR. During the 20th century, Kazakhstan was the site of major Soviet projects, including Khrushchevs (Nikita Khrushchev) Virgin Lands campaign, the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and the Semipalatinsk "Polygon" (Semipalatinsk Test Site), the USSRs primary nuclear weapon testing site.

Kazakhstan declared itself an independent country on December 16, 1991, the last Soviet republic to do so. Its communist-era leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, became the countrys new president. Since independence, Kazakhstan has pursued a balanced foreign policy (Foreign relations of Kazakhstan) and worked to develop its economy (Economy of Kazakhstan), especially its hydrocarbon industry. While the countrys economic outlook is improving, President Nazarbayev maintains strict control over the countrys politics (Politics of Kazakhstan). Nevertheless, Kazakhstans international prestige is building. It is now considered to be the dominant state in Central Asia. The country is a member of many international organizations, including the United Nations, NATOs Partnership for Peace (Partnership for Peace), the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. In 2010, Kazakhstan is chairing the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Kazakhstan is ethnically and culturally diverse, in part due to mass deportations (Forced settlements in the Soviet Union) of many ethnic groups to the country during Stalin (Joseph Stalin)s rule. Kazakhs are the largest group. Kazakhstan has 131 nationalities including Kazakh (Kazakhs), Russian (Russians), Ukrainian (Ukrainian people), Uzbek (Uzbek people) and Tatar. It has a population of 16.0 million, of whom around 63% percent are Kazakhs.

Kazakhstan allows freedom of religion (Freedom of religion in Kazakhstan), and many different beliefs are represented in the country. Islam is the primary religion. The Kazakh language is the state language, while Russian is also officially used as an "equal" language (to Kazakh) in Kazakhstans institutions.