Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is the largest of the Central Asian Republics, and the wealthiest of the five that were part of the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, until its independence in 1991. It shares borders with the Russian Federation, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The country is wealthy, with extensive oil holdings, but little of this wealth has reached people in the countryside.

Many cultural pursuits in Kazakhstan came from its geographical position on the Silk Road, introducing Turkish games such as Backgammon, Dominoes, and cards, and Chinese games such as Chinese Chess and Mahjong. Horseriding skills and wrestling tested many adolescents and young men.

While Kazakhstan was part of Russia, education became compulsory for all children, and as a result, many took up European sports such as soccer and volleyball, as well as swimming. The Arasan Baths in Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan, provided steam baths, which have been a form of relaxation for many people. Although Chess has been played by Kazakhs since at least the late Middle Ages—two carvings believed to be Chess pieces were found in neighboring Uzbekistan in 1972 and dated from about 200 ce.—it was during the Russian period that Chess was taught in many schools in the country and became popular. Important Kazakh Chess players such as Boris Ayrukh, Därmen Sadvakasov, Vladislav Tkachiev, Anatoly Vaisser, and Evgeny Vlad-miro, have done much to encourage playing among the young. The Young Pioneer Movement was heavily promoted in Russia, and it led to many children becoming involved in hiking, camping, and participating in many group activities including model-making and designing mechanical toys.

Ice skating became popular during the Communist period, spurred on by success in Olympic sporting events by Russian athletes. The biggest skating rink in the whole of Central Asia is located at Medeu, on the outskirts of Almaty, and smaller ones, the Olympic Skating Rink and the Dinamo Stadium, in the capital. There is a cable car in Almaty that takes people from near the Palace of the Republic to the foothills of Zailiysky, Alatau, where the television transmitter center is located. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, independence has led to increased foreign investment. There is an Aqua Park in Almaty that is enclosed so that it can be used over the long winters, and a Fantasy Land Amusement Park. There is also a large bowling alley in central Almaty and smaller ones in the suburbs and other towns.