Nur-Sultan (Astana) - How A Vision Became Reality

On December 10th, 1997, a sleepy town in northern Kazakhstan's fate changed forever.

Akmola, which means "Grave of White Bones" in the Kazakh language, became the new capital city of the largest landlocked nation in the world. Prior to the the government's decision of moving the capital city, Akmola was an industrial city originally founded in the 1940s as a site for a GULAG camp. Together with other cities in the region, Akmola was predominantly a Russian town as ethnic Russians comprised of about 90% of total population.  Starting the day Akmola became the capital city of Kazakhstan, the city's name was changed to Astana - "Capital" in the Kazakh language. [Update: Since 2019, Astana was renamed "Nur-Sultan" in honor of Kazakhstan's first president: Nursultan Nazarbayev, a figure we will discuss later in this article]

In some parts of Astana, people can still find traces of Akmola.

There were a couple of reasons behind the government's decision to move the capital from Almaty to Astana. The first major reason was that because Almaty is situated in a valley of Tianshan mountains, long term urban growth and expansions prove to be restricted due to the geographical features of the region. In contrast, Astana is a prairie city with thousands of miles of undeveloped land surrounding it, which are ideal for city building.

Outside the city of Astana, it's still miles of emptiness

Because modern Astana was literally built from scratch, it allowed fancy buildings like this one to be constructed

20 years ago, this would have been a flat field ideal for animal husbandry

The second major reason was Almaty being too close to the border. The city center of Almaty is less than 20 kilometers away from the Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan border, 250 kilometers away from Bishkek, capital city of Kyrgyzstan, and 350 kilometers away from the Kazakhstan - China border. In case conflicts take place in the future, the defense of Almaty will be a very difficult task. Astana, however, is considered "remote" even by the Kazakhs as there were no sizable cities its vicinity.

The third major reason was to "Kazakhize" the northern part of the country. As mentioned earlier Astana, together with other cities in northern Kazakhstan were comprised of mostly ethnic Russians. To counter Russian influence, moving the capital to a northern city can attract ethnic Kazakhs from elsewhere to move to the capital city for works. Today, ethnic Kazakhs make up 65% of the Astana's population - a significant increase from only 30% in 1989.

Independence Square

Independence Square

Khazret Sultan Mosque, the second largest mosque in Central Asia

A Kazakh rider and Khazret Sultan Mosque

Modern residential buildings in Astana

The fourth major reason was to create a new image for Kazakhstan after its independence from the Soviet Union. Open spaces provide the perfect setting for building a brand new city that will serve as Kazakhstan's face in the international community. In the past twenty years, Astana's population increased more than 3 times, and the skyline of the city also turned from a typical greyish Soviet industrial city into a jaw dropping metropolis. Today, Astana has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world and is home to unique buildings such as the Ak Orda Presidential Palace, Palace of Peace and Conciliation, and Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, the world's largest tent.

Astana Opera House

National Concert Hall

Ak Orda - the presidential palace of Kazakhstan

Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center - World's Largest Tent

The centerpiece of new Astana is the 97 meter tall Bayterek Tower. The number "97" symbolizes year 1997, in which Astana officially became the capital city of Kazakhstan. Bayterek Tower stands as a monument to commemorate this event, as well as the new role and duties the nation of  Kazakhstan has bestowed upon the city formerly known as Akmola. 

Astana from the golden windows of Bayterek

Ak Orda from Bayterek

All of these wouldn't be possible without one man - Nursultan Nazarbayev, the country's first president. The idea was not only proposed by him, he also oversaw all the plannings and the building of the new capital city himself. In 2017, the city hosted Expo 2017, which drew the world's attention to Astana. The theme of the Expo was "Future Energy" and the event was participated by over 100 countries. The Kazakhstan Pavilion showed cutting edge technological and ideological advances in utilizing clean energy, despite Kazakhstan being one of the leading producers in fossil fuels. The Expo 2017 was Kazakhstan's open declaration to the world that it would embrace the future and will commit to make the world a better place for the next generation.

A Portrait of President Nursultan Nazarbayev

President Nazarbayev's former residence, now the Museum of the First President of Kazakhstan

Expo 2017 Kazakhstan Pavillion

Skyline of Astana from Expo 2017 Kazakhstan Pavillion

Inside the campus of Nazarbayev University - Expo 2017's neighbour

It isn't Kazakhstan's first time to make such commitment.  Being the site where the U.S.S.R detonated its first atomic bomb, as well as having 15 percent of all of the world's uranium, Kazakhstan gave up all of its nuclear weapons in 1994. This action did not only help Kazakhstan to eliminate unnecessary spendings on maintaining expensive nuclear weapons, it also won Western countries' trust and confidence in investing into Kazakhstan's future. Today, Kazakhstan scores high in GDP per capita among all former Soviet states. Its economy constitutes about 70% of total GDP in the Central Asia region.

Modern office building in Astana

If one looks at Kazakhstan through the mentality of the Cold War, one could see nothing but a former Soviet state based on prejudices spread out by propaganda from last century. However, if one looks at Kazakhstan through the scopes of both present and future, one will see a modern nation leading the world in technology and a vision - a vision that the world will be a better place through clean energy and absolutely zero weapon of mass destruction. Kazakhstan might not be perfect today, but one day it will certainly turn towards the direction in areas that it needs to improve. The giant of Central Asia has waken up, and she just opened her eyes.