KAZAKHSTAN INDEPENDENCE DAY QUIZ ANSWERS

Think you know a lot about Kazakhstan? Well, a lot of our fans do! A lot of fans went 10 for 10, but Lesley B was the quickest in getting her answers in. Congrats to Lesley, who will get a signed Alberto Contador Maglia Rosa this holiday season.

We hope you learned more about Kazakhstan! We'll play again soon!

1. What is the name of the low table where traditional Kazakhs eat their meals?

Dastarkhan - Kazakhs living in yurts will often host feasts at this low table, pictured below.

2. What is the name of the largest operational space facility/cosmodrome in Kazakhstan?

The Baikonur Cosmodrome is located in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The name Baikonur is misleading. The former Soviet Union used the name and coordinates of a small mining town, Baikonur, to describe the location of its rocket complex. In fact, the launch complex is about 322 kilometers (200 miles) southwest of the mining town near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan. This misrepresentation was done intentionally to hide the actual location of the launch complex. Although the true location is now known, the launch complex is still referred to as Baikonur.

Baikonur Cosmodrome is the launch complex where Sputnik 1, Earth's first artificial satellite, was launched. The rocket that lifted Yuri Gagarin, the first human in orbit, was also launched from Baikonur. In fact, all Russian crewed missions are launched from Baikonur, as well as all geostationary, lunar, planetary and ocean surveillance missions.

3. The second lowest land area on the planet is in Kazakhstan, approximately 132 meters below sea level. What is the name of this depression?

The Karagiye Depression is located in southwestern Kazakhstan. It has an elevation of approximately 132 meters below sea level.

4. Name the largest lake in Kazakhstan?

Lake Balkhash, in Kazakhstan, is the largest moderately saline lake of Central Asia. The lake has a surface area of over 16 000 km2, a length of 600 km and its width varies from five to 70 km. Its drainage basin of approximately 413.000 km2 is situated in southeastern Kazakhstan (85%) and northwestern China (15%). The western half of the Lake is freshwater, while the eastern half is salt water. The average depth of the lake is six meters, though its maximum depth reaches 26 meters. Lake Balkhash is usually frozen from November through March.

5. What fruit has historical and cultural significance to Almaty?

The name "Almaty" derives from the Kazakh word for "apple" (алма), and thus is often translated as a city "rich with apples". The older Soviet-era Russian version of its name, Alma-Ata, originates from a mistake (the name literally means "Grandfather of apples"). In the surrounding region, there is a great genetic diversity among the wild apples; the region is thought to be the ancestral home of the apple, and the wild Malus sieversii, is considered a likely candidate for the ancestor of the modern domestic apple.

6. What animal is used to play the games kökpar and qyz quu?

An affinity with the horse is shown in sports like kökpar, the wild free-for-all ancestor of polo (with a headless goat's carcass instead of a ball) and qyz quu, a boy-girl horse chase - if a boy catches a girl he kisses her, if a girl catches a boy she beats him with her riding whip

7. What is the title of the first Kazakh full length featured film (made in 1938)?

The first Kazakh full length feature, 'Amangueldy' by Moisey Levin, was made in 1938 and was also the first film with sound. It has a narrative pattern typical of central Asian cinema, which places central importance on strong and heroic characters.

8. What is the name of the educational program, which was created by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in November 1993 and provides an opportunity for the most talented students from Kazakhstan to study abroad at some of the world's best universities?

The ‘Bolashak’ educational programme (meaning ‘Future’ in Kazakh), was created by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in November 1993. The program's objective is to provide an opportunity for the most talented students from Kazakhstan to undertake higher education courses at the best universities overseas, enabling them to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to build a democratic and prosperous society.

Students aged between 18 and 35 are eligible, and priority is given to those seeking teaching qualifications to train domestic specialists. The bursaries are worth between $50,000 and $90,000 (depending on the host country and the university’s status) and cover all education-related expenses. Upon completion of their programmes, scholarship recipients return to Kazakhstan to work in different Kazakh companies, governmental structures and international organizations for a period of five years. Since 1994, thousands of Kazakh students have successfully completed their Bachelor's and Master's degrees under the programme at 630 of the most prestigious Western universities.

9. What is the national instrument of Kazakhstan?

The dombura is a long-necked stringed instrument possessing a wooden resonating chamber, somewhat similar to a banjo or a lute, The dombura is played by either strumming with the hand, or plucking each string individually, with an occasional tap on the main surface of the instrument. While the strings are traditionally made of sinew, modern domburas are usually produced using nylon strings.

10. What is the name of the first Kazakh yacht/boat to cross the Atlantic Ocean? (Hint: Named after the 19th century Kazakh ethnographer and historian)

The boat was named after Chokan Valikhanov, the first Kazakh scholar, ethnographer and historian. A descendant of Ghenghis Khan, Valikhanov was one of the first Kazakhs to be educated in Russian and published books and articles devoted to the history and culture of Central Asia.