Kazakhstan

Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes migrated into the Kazakh region in the 13th century, but they were rarely untied as a single nation. Russia conquered the area in the 18th century and made Kazakhstan a Soviet Republic in 1936. Kazakhstan is the largest former republic and has vast fossil fuel reserves and other natural resources which contributed to the significant economic growth the country has enjoyed since independence in 1991. Recent political stability in the country has allowed the government to focus on developing a cohesive national identity, improving the energy sector's export capacity and strengthening relations with neighboring states. Counterpart International (Counterpart) engages with civil society organizations to strengthen citizen-government dialogues on democracy while enhancing the services provided by those organizations.

Map and country information, The World Factbook 2009. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2009.