Quick Facts:

Languages: Kazakh, Russian
Religion:  
 Muslim 61%
 Christian 25%
 Evangelical 0.6%
 Orthodox 7.6%
 Unaffiliated 15.7%
 Other 14%
Time Zone: GMT +6 Hours
Currency: tenge (T)
Pop. of Almaty: 1.2 million
Pop. of Kazakhstan 16.73 million 
Income/person/year: $1,350
Urban population: 56%

Overview:

Founded in 1854 as a Russian frontier fort when the Kazakhs were still nomads, this thriving city served as the capital of Kazakhstan until late 1997. Almaty has become a melting pot to Kazakhstanis and a melange of foreign traders, diplomats, and financiers attempting to carve up Kazakhstan's mineral resources.

Sudden exposure to the outside world turned this provincial outpost into a cosmopolitan city with shops, restaurants, hotels, and casinos that would have rendered this place unrecognizable to anyone who had been away since 1990. But now that the government has moved the capital to the northern city of Astana (previously known as Aqmola), Almaty's future is uncertain. Astana is closer to the heart of the Russian railway network and farther from national borders and conflicts in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. 

Apart from the air Almaty is clean and easy on the eye, with long, straight avenues and low-rise uniform architecture bearing the unmistakable imprint of Russia. The Zailiysky Alatau mountains rise like a wall along Almaty's southern fringe and form a superb backdrop when weather and smog permit. There are lots of parks, space, and greenery, and many of the Soviet-era buildings are striking if you look at them individually. 

We are currently working with Bible Mission to train teachers for CD-ROM-based Bible courses. We are planning on assisting in the establishment of a number of eLearning Centers throughout the country.

Almaty Regional Site