Kazakhstan, officially known as the Republic of Kazakhstan, is the world's largest landlocked country, and the ninth-largest overall, situated in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. It shares borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea. The terrain of Kazakhstan includes flatlands, steppe, taiga, rock canyons, hills, deltas, mountains, and deserts. It has a continental climate with warm summers and very cold winters. Astana, renamed Nur-Sultan in 2019 in honor of the long-serving recently retired President Nursultan Nazarbayev, is the capital of Kazakhstan. Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, was the previous capital until 1997 and remains the country's commercial and cultural hub. The country declared independence from the Soviet Union on December 16, 1991, as the last republic to declare independence, marking the end of the Soviet Union. Kazakhstan has since then invested heavily in its energy sector and is rich in natural resources such as oil, natural gas, and minerals, which has contributed to its relatively strong economic growth compared to its Central Asian neighbors. The country is also a member of various international organizations, including the United Nations, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Kazakh is the official state language, though Russian is also officially used in state and institutional functions. Kazakhstan is ethnically diverse, with the Kazakhs making up over half of the population, followed by significant Russian, Uzbek, Ukrainian, and Uighur minorities. The country has made significant progress in creating a national identity, with Kazakh culture and history being promoted and celebrated. Kazakhstan's culture is a blend of the nomadic traditions of the indigenous Kazakhs and the culture brought by the Russian and Soviet rule. The country is known for its unique music, dance, and cuisine. The traditional Kazakh yurt is still used by some nomadic groups in the country. The nation has been working on developing its tourism industry, showcasing its vast and varied landscape, which includes sites like the Charyn Canyon, the Altai Mountains, and the Caspian Sea coastline. The space launch facility, Baikonur Cosmodrome, is also located in Kazakhstan and is leased by the Russian government, serving as a reminder of the country's strategic importance in space exploration. Despite its vast size and wealth in natural resources, Kazakhstan faces challenges such as corruption, political repression, and economic inequality. The government has been criticized for its human rights record, but it has also been making efforts to modernize the country and improve its standing on the global stage.