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Astana

Astana (Kazakh: Астана and pronounced ‘As-ta-na’), is the capital and second largest city (after Almaty) of Kazakhstan. The name ‘Astana’ which comes from the Kazakh word for ‘capital city’ has only been the Kazakhstan capital since 1994. Prior to this time, Almaty was the capital and Astana was called Akmola. Other names included Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, and Aqmola. Astana is located in the north-central portion of Kazakhstan in the Akmola Province and has an estimated population of 600,000 though some estimates put this figure closer to 700,000 inhabitants. Regardless of the actual figure, both numbers contrast sharply with the 281,000 inhabitants that resided in Astana in 1999 attesting to the rapid growth and development of this amazing 21st century city which today attracts young professionals from around the world. Getting to Astana Astana is serviced by Astana International Airport with daily flights via British Airways, Lufthansa and KLM from Europe and the US. History In 1824, a unit of Siberian Cossacks from Omsk (in Siberia) founded a huge fortress on the upper Ishim River, which later became the town of ‘Akmolinsk’. During the early 20th Century, the town became a major railway junction, causing a major economic boom that lasted until the Russian Civil War. Following the civil war and with the advent of Gulags, the Kazakhstan steppe became home to numerous Gulags. Hundreds of thousands of prisoners and their families were housed in eleven camps. One of the most notorious camps in this Gulag archipelago was located just outside Astana. Referred to as the ALZHIR camp (a Russian acronym for the Akmolinskii Camp for Wives of Traitors of the Motherland), the camp was reserved for the wives of men considered ‘enemies of the people’ by Joseph Stalin. In 1961, the city was renamed ‘Tselinograd’. Tselinograd, which translates from Russian as ‘Virgin Land City’, was made capital of the Soviet Virgin Lands Territory, an agricultural initiative started by Nikita Khrushchev in the 1950s. In accordance with this proposal, 330,000 km2 were ploughed up requiring the need for 300,000 farmers to plant and harvest the newly created farm lands. With the vast majority of these farmers arriving from Russia and the Ukraine, the population of the area saw sizeable increases in non-kazakhs populations which eventually lead to ethnic tension. Additionally, many Russian-Germans were resettled here after being deported under Joseph Stalin at the beginning of World War II, when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. After Kazakhstan gained its independence in 1991, the city and the region were renamed ‘Akmola’. Though the name has often been translated as ‘White Tombstone’, it actually means ‘Holy Place’. Unfortunately, the ‘White Tombstone’ translation has been made famous by its inclusion in almost all guide books and travel accounts. In 1994, Tselinograd was designated as the future capital of the newly-independent country, and was renamed ‘Astana’ after the capital was officially moved from Almaty in 1997. Though there is much speculation as to why the capital was moved to Astana, the fact is that Kazakhstan needed a more central location for its capital than Almaty, which lay on the far southeastern border with Kyrgyzstan, could provide. And despite its isolated location in the centre of the Kazakh Steppe and the forbidding climate in winter, the government has pulled out all the stops to make Astana not just the capital of Kazakhstan but a capital to be admired by all of Central Asia. Geography Astana is located in central Kazakhstan on the Ishim River in a very flat, semi-desert steppe region which covers most of the country's territory. The elevation of Astana is 347 meters above sea level. Astana is situated in a spacious steppe landscape, in the transient area between the north of Kazakhstan and the extremely sparsely settled national center, because of the river Ishim. The city’s older boroughs lie north of the river, whilst the new boroughs are located south of the Ishim. Climate Climatically, Astana is the second coldest capital in the world (behind Ulaanbataar, Mongolia), with temperatures of -35 to -40°C common in the late autumn. The new city is also known to regularly freeze for around six months every year. Overall however, Astana has a continental climate, with exceptionally cold winters and moderately hot summers. The average annual temperature in Astana is 1 degree Celsius. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of -16 °C. July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 20°C. Economy Politics and government are the main economic activity in the capital, which also forms a Special Economic Zone. Since moving the capital, Astana has become home to one of the world's greatest building projects, as oil money has been spent on government buildings, a massive home for the president, a mosque, and numerous parks and monuments. This project is designed to make Astana not just the centre of Kazakhstan, but of all Central Asia. City Planning Astana can be largely divided into a few different areas. North of the railway line, which crosses Astana in an east-west direction, are industrial and poorer residential areas. Between the railway line and the river Ishim is the city center, where at present intense building activity is occurring. To the west and east are more elevated residential areas with parks. The new area of government administration is to the south of the Ishim. At this time, there are many large building projects underway such as construction of a diplomats’ quarter and a variety of different government buildings. By 2030, these quarters are to be completed. Astana's chief city planner, Vladimir Laptev, wants to build a Eurasian-style Berlin. Laptev has stated that the creation of a purely administrative capital such as Canberra is not one of his goals. To date, it has been estimated that the State has spend more than 15 billion dollars on construction. Architecture No description of Astana would be complete without mention of its architecture. The architectural standard of the new buildings is ubiquitously considered by almost all critics as quite high. In December 2006, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev unveiled plans to build Khan Shatyry ('Royal Marquee’), a ‘giant, transparent tent’, over a section of the city. The tent made from Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene will be 150 meters high and will be larger than 10 football stadiums. Khan Shatyry will be a city in itself with an urban-scale park, shopping and entertainment venue, a boating river, shopping centre, mini-golf and indoor beach resort, cobbled streets, squares and canals. Khan Shatyry was designed by British architect Norman Foster and is expected to take around a year to build. Norman Foster also designed the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation (aka the Pyramid of Peace and Accord), a 77 meter high building of multi-triangular design capable of withstanding the expansion and contraction of outside temperatures which can vary by as much as 80°C (-40 to over 40°C). The structure was built at a cost of 8.74 billion Kazakh tenge (about £35 million) and opened in late 2006. The Pyramid was specially constructed to host the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. A 1,500-seat opera house is built into the lower levels. Other architectural wonders include Bayterek Tower, the Ministry of Communications, and numerous other buildings each with its own particular design and architecture. Sightseeing Today, Astana is home to so many construction projects and works, that these buildings alone represent much to offer a visiting teacher. In the centre of town, the Avenue of the Republic acts as the main hub of activity. It is lined with numerous stores, cafes, restaurants, discotheques and even a few casinos. Worth a visit are the: Modern governmental quarter, Ishim banks, ‘Oceanarium’, Astana Central National Mosque, Islamic Center, Roman Catholic Cathedral, Market hall and Bayterek Tower. Language Link in Astana In 2007, Language Link opened its doors to students in Astana. Known locally as Incom Lingva, the school, located at № 6 Sary Arka Street, is conveniently placed in the centre of the city on the third floor of the Arman Business Centre. The school boasts 8 modern classrooms with white boards and audio equipment. Teachers have access to a resource library, photocopier, Internet and e-mail. The school teaches an array of students ranging from young learners to adults with beginner through advanced levels of English. Classes may also be held in-company Contact information Administrator: Yelena Skarlat Telephone: +7 (7172) 99 11 11 Fax: +7 (7172) 99 00 99 Full address: Sary Arka Street 6, Arman Business Centre, 010000 Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan Salary and Benefits Teachers receive a competitive net monthly salary in tenges (FYI: 120.78 tenges = 1 USD), school provided accommodation in double flats located within walking/ bus distance of the school, provision of health care, full visa and work permission support, reimbursed airfare to contractual maximums, paid holiday and on-going academic support. Apply Online N.B. Please be sure to place 'Astana' in the space allotted for 'Preferred Posting (first choice)'.