Full name: Republic of Kazakhstan Population: 15.3 million (C.I.A. World Factbook) (July 2008 est.) Capital: Astana Largest city: Almaty Area: 2.7 million sq km (1 million sq miles) Major languages: Kazakh, Russian Major religions: Islam, Christianity Life expectancy at birth: 62 years (men), 73 years (women) (C.I.A. World Factbook) Monetary unit: Kazakh tenge Main exports: Oil and oil products, ferrous metals, machinery, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal
Kazakhstan is a very large country in the region where East meets West. Almost 4 times the size of Texas, Kazakhstan borders Russia to the North, China to the East, and the Middle East/Mediterranean to the South and West. Formerly part of the Soviet Union, it is now an independent republic, and has had a stable government for several years. With tremendous physical resources and a largely urban population, Kazakhstan is the wealthiest of the former Soviet countries in Central Asia. Almost evenly divided between the Muslim and Russian Orthodox religions, the government and court system are generally secular. While most citizens are ethnically Kazakh, there is a substantial Russian minority, and Russian is the most common language. Adoptions from Kazakhstan are very empowering for adoptive parents. Once approved by the Kazakh government, families visit orphanages and choose the child or sibling group they want to adopt. As our agency works with the recently formed Council of Orphanage Directors in Kazakhstan, our families can expect excellent access to a wide cross-section of children, and a relatively smooth and transparent adoption process.
Adoptions from Kazakhstan to the U.S. (U.S. State Department)
