Nur-Sultan, formerly known as Akmolinsk, Celinogler, Akmola, Astana, replaced Almaty as the new capital of Kazakhstan in 1998, with an area of 952 square kilometers and a population of 1.328 million (as of August 2022). Known as the heart of Eurasia, Nur-Sultan is one of the youngest capitals in the world. Nur-Sultan is located next to the Ishim River, in the vast semi-desert steppe of north-central Kazakhstan, about 1,300 kilometers from the original capital Almaty.
Nur-Sultan's landmark Bajjelek Observation Tower
On June 9, 1994, former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev decided to move the country's capital from Almaty to another city, Akmola (Kazakh means white grave), and after the relocation was completed in June 1998, Akmora was renamed Astana, which is also a familiar name for our Chinese people, and Kazakh means "capital". In 2019, in honor of Founding President Nazarbayev, Astana was renamed Nur-Sultan. Why was the city once known as the "White Grave"? Some people say that it is because there is a group of ancient tombs in the suburbs, and the ancient tombs are surrounded by a pile of shallow limestone, hence the name. In fact, there is another tragic historical reason.
The first president of Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev
During the Soviet period, it was originally a deserted wilderness, and later the Soviet Union built a concentration camp here, called the "Alegil Concentration Camp", which specially imprisoned and secretly dealt with people who disagreed with the Soviet leaders, and became a place where the Soviet government detained and exiled prisoners. When the cold winter came, the land was covered with snow, as if it were covered with a white shroud, so the exiles called it a "white grave". The camp was abolished when Stalin died in 1953, and it is said that more than 8,000 prisoners came out alive. Now, a memorial has been built on the site of the concentration camp, reminding people of the heavy historical sadness that the city once suffered...
Nur-Sultan at night
Today, the city of Nur-Sultan has become the most modern and developed city in Central Asia and has the highest happiness index for its people. The climate is pleasant in all seasons, the ecological environment is good, the urban planning is good, the roads are open, and almost all the buildings are newly built, including Europa-style buildings, Asian-style buildings, Orthodox churches, and the largest mosque on the ground in Central Asia. It is currently the main production base of Kazakhstan's industry and agriculture, and the transportation hub of the national railway.
New Mosque of Nur-Sultan
It is believed that with the continuous expansion of the mainland's "Belt and Road" construction and the deepening of cooperation under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Nur-Sultan will certainly play an increasingly important role on the modern Silk Road and witness the new glory of Kazakhstan's development!