Kazakhstan
Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan
Until the 1950s Astana (Aqmola), was a tiny mining town. Then Nikita Khruschev announced his Virgin Lands scheme to turn 250,000 sq km of Kazakhstan steppe into wheat fields.
Overview of Kazakhstan
Officially name: The Republic of Kazakhstan
Capital: Astana
Largest city: Almaty
Official language: Kazakh, Russian
Government: Presidential republic
Alcohol in Kazakhstan
Strong alcoholic drink is an "imported" culture from Russia , and it is almost as much appreciated here as in Russia proper. Since alcohol is particularly cheap, it's easy for one's health to suffer.