Kazakhstan celebrates Astana Day

As acknowledged by prominent politicians, experts and public figures of foreign countries as well as representatives of international organizations, Astana has become the epitome of Kazakhstan's rapid development. Every citizen and resident of our country, each region is directly or indirectly contributed to the establishment of Astana. Astana has witnessed a construction and economic boom since the Kazakh government seat was transferred from southern city Almaty to northern city Astana in 1997. Astana, formerly called Akmola, was chosen to be the new capital as it is the geographical center of the country. Astana's favorable location in the centre of the Eurasian continent makes it an economically advantageous transport, communication and logistics centre, a unique transit bridge between Europe and Asia.

The shift of the capital has given a powerful impulse to Astana's economic development. The city's high economic growth rates attract numerous investors. The volume of attracted investments from the time Astana became the capital has increased by 30 times and the total regional product by 90 times.

In a short term the new capital, emerged by the will of the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev turned into a national idea and became a symbol of independence and the young state's global success.