Kazakhstan's capital Astana celebrates 25th anniversary of its founding

By Meiramgul Kussainova

ASTANA (AA) - Kazakhstan's capital Astana, which was built from scratch after the country gained its independence, celebrated Thursday the 25th anniversary of its foundation.

Kazakhstan celebrates Astana Day every year on July 6.

Various cultural events including open-air concerts, folk dance performances and exhibitions are held in the city as part of the day.

Two days of public holiday were declared in the country to mark the day.

Astana, which has already become the political, administrative, economic, business and tourism center of the country, is among the rapidly developing capitals of the world.

Currently, more than 1.3 million people live in the city, where the average age of the population is 30. This number is expected to exceed two million by 2030.

Astana, which has attracted $14 billion of foreign direct investment in recent years, is a center of attraction for foreign investors.

Combining Eastern and Western architectural styles with traditional Kazakh motifs, the capital attracts the attention of local and foreign tourists.