Borat aside, Kazakhstan is an interesting country. The largest of the ex-Soviet Republics, it's the ninth largest country in the world and the largest landlocked country in the world. It also irritated me greatly a few years back when they moved their capitol from Almaty to Astana (because then I have to memorize a new capitol!)- an authoritarian upgrade to get their government out of the mountains and I'm assuming a little further away from the Chinese border, for comfort's sake.
The Russian space program still makes its home in central Kazakhstan. (Seriously: I've said it before I'll say it again. Nothing quite as hardcore as the Russian space program. Our capsules splashed down. Theirs land.)
Anyway, to business:
The flag was adopted June 4th, 1992 for National and Civil usage. The sky-blue background recalls the endless skies over the Kazakh people as well as well-being, tranquility, peace and unity. The bird below the sun is a steppe eagle or a Berkut. Together with the sun (that has 32 rays) they represent love, freedom and the aspirations of the Kazakh people. The pattern near the hoist that forms a vertical stripe is described as 'national ornamentation.'
Ladies and gentlemen, wax your Borat-moustaches for the great nation of Kazakhstan...
And until next time, keep your flags flying- freak or otherwise!
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