Astana

Astana, formerly Tselinograd, Akmolinsk, and Aqmola, capital of Kazakhstan, located in the northern part of the country on the Ishim River. An important rail junction, Astana also produces agricultural machinery and chemicals and has meat-packing plants. The city was founded as a fortress in 1824 and named Akmolinsk. In 1960 it was given the name Tselinograd (Russian for “Virgin Land City”) in association with the Virgin Lands program promoted by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to open up northern Kazakhstan to permanent cropping. The city received the name Aqmola after Kazakhstan achieved independence in 1991. In 1997 the country's capital moved to Aqmola from Almaty. In 1998 the city changed its name to Astana. Population (2003 estimate) 332,000.