For 18 years population of Astana increased almost threefold

Over the years the capital has become a symbol of the country's independence, center of social, political and cultural life of Kazakhstan. Today it is a modern city with its own architectural style which incorporates the best traditions of East and West. Over 18 years the population of the city has increased almost threefold. In 1998 the population of Astana amounted to 326.9 thousand people. Today the number of citizens equals 869.1 thousand. According to astana.kz, in 1998 the construction industry accelerated pace. Every year the city commissions new housing to improve the quality of life of its citizens. Since the beginning of the year there have been put into operation 1,407,186 square meters of housing, while in 1998 the volume of commissioned residential buildings was equal to 139.5 thousand square meters. The number of small and medium-sized businesses sufficiently increased as well. According to statistics, the number of active SMEs, as of November 1, 2015, amounted to 100,278. As of October 2015 the volume of industrial production amounted to 229,422 million tenge. In 1998 this indicator equaled 20 160.1 million tenge. With the growth of population Astana increased the number of new schools and kindergartens. To date the city has 92 secondary schools, 163 kindergartens and 25 mini-centers. In 1998 the city had 48 kindergartens and 47 schools. In 1999 the new capital of Kazakhstan was awarded "Cities for Peace" by UNESCO for its activities promoting cultural diversity. Today Astana is known around the world. The city holds international forums, summits and conferences, major sports and cultural events. Moreover, Astana is preparing to conduct the international exhibition EXPO-2017.