Kazakhstan

= = Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of political stability. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth; diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers. //__Location__:// Central Asia, northeast of China; a small potential west //__Geographic Coordination__:// 48 00 N, 68 00 E //__Area Total__:// 2,724,900 sq km //__Country Comparison to the World__:// 9 __//Land Area://__ 2,699,700 sq km __//Area Comparative://__ slightly less than four times the size of Texas //__Total Land Boundaries__:// 12,185 km //__Border Countries__:// China (1,533 km), Kyrgyzstan (1,224 km), Russia (6,846 km), Turkmenistan (379 km), Uzbekistan (2,203 km) __//Coastline://__ 0 km (landlocked) //__Maritime claims__:// none (landlocked) //__Climate__:// continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid //__Terrain__:// vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the south __//Elevation Lowest Point://__ Vpadina Kaundy -132 m //__Elevation Highest Point__:// Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m __//Natural Resources://__ major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium 1. Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; field demarcation of the boundaries with Turkmenistan commenced in 2005, and with Uzbekistan in 2004; demarcation is scheduled to get underway with Russia in 2007; demarcation with China was completed in 2002; creation of a seabed boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains under discussion; equidistant seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water column among any of the littoral states. Sources: [] []
 * //__ Kazakhstan __//**
 * Background**
 * Foreign relations of Kazakhstan:** are primarily based on economic and political security. The Nazarbayev administration has tried to balance relations with Russia and the United States by sending petroleum and natural gas to its northern neighbor at artificially low prices while assisting the U.S. in the War on Terror. Kazakhstan is a member of the United Nations, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (which it will chair in 2010), North Atlantic Cooperation Council, Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and NATO's Partnership for Peace program. Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan established the Eurasian Economic Community in 2000 to begin the process of creating a free trade zone under a Customs Union.
 * Geography**
 * International Conflicts:**

Collecting Country Information | Research Overview Model UN Preparation Guide First, you will need to learn about your country so you can address the issues raised at the conference as a real UN delegate from that country. To represent your country accurately, start by answering the following questions:
 * What sort of government does your country have?
 * What types of ideologies (political, religious or other) influence your country’s government?
 * Which domestic issues might influence your country’s foreign policy?
 * What are some major events in your country’s history? Why are they important?
 * Which ethnicities, religions and languages can be found in your country?
 * Where is your country located and how does its geography affect its political relationships?
 * Which countries share a border with your country?
 * Which countries are considered allies of your country?
 * Which countries are considered enemies of your country?
 * What are the characteristics of your country’s economy?
 * What is your country’s gross domestic product (GDP)? How does this compare to other countries in the world?
 * When did your country become a member of the UN?
 * Does your country belong to any [|intergovernmental organizations] outside the UN system such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?
 * Does your country belong to any regional organizations such as the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU) or the Organization of American States (OAS)?