One of the strangest capital cities on Earth.

Astana is a capital of Kazakhstan, and the name means "capital" in Kazakh. The capital was moved here from Almaty in 1997.The official reason for relocating to Astana – previously the provincial settlement of Tselinograd, with a crumbling Soviet housing stock – was Almaty’s location in an earthquake-prone region. But its close proximity to the Chinese border and Kazakhstan’s need to strengthen its hold on the north of the country with its large number of ethnic Russians made it logical from a strategic point of view.
Photo: Astana, Bayterek.

Given the billions of barrels of oil and gas that have been discovered in the country, and its very low population of only 16 million, every Kazakhstani should be a millionaire by now. One look at Astana and you can see where much of the money has gone.

Norman Foster-designed Khan Shatyr shopping centre.

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation.

Ak Orda Presidential Palace home of President Nazarbayev.

Astana’s new university. Opened in 2010, and named after Nazarbayev, it is a point of pride for many that foreign academics staff many of the departments. Indeed, education has become a legacy issue for the 75-year-old “father of the nation”. Nazarbayev has made it possible for school graduates to study overseas, all expenses paid, provided they return to Kazakhstan to work for at least five years after graduation.

Norman Foster-designed Khan Shatyr shopping centre.