Kazakhstan - Photo Essay

Kazakhstan

Photo Essays

Kazakhstan in Transition As Central Asian Economy Turns Corner

After difficult times following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Central Asia is turning the corner and many countries are recording strong economic growth. Kazakhstan, the largest economy with half the region’s gross domestic product, is spurring Central Asian growth as a center for investment and job creation.

Fashionably dressed women and new construction in the capital of Almaty testify to a new mood of optimism although many jobless and vulnerable people, especially the elderly, are still suffering from a decline in employment and social services, including pensions.

The Asian Development Bank and its partners are supporting a Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program that will further boost growth. Focusing so far on regional initiatives in transport, trade facilitation, trade policy and energy, CAREC will hold a Ministerial-level meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, in November to review a comprehensive plan of action covering the period till 2008. ADB's CAREC partners include the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Development Programme, and Islamic Development Bank.

Each thumbnail below links to a larger photograph.

Young women in trendy gear step out in downtown Temirtau, Central Kazakhstan.	A "babushka" or grandmother in Almaty: the elderly have been among the most vulnerable as pensions eroded.	A middle-aged man in Temirtau, Central Kazakhstan, who lived through lean times and wonders about his future.
Modern buildings go up in Almaty, Kazakhstan, against snow-topped mountains.	Gray monolithic government buildings from the Soviet era are giving way to new structures.	With the Blue Mosque in the background, traffic bustles outside Almaty's central bus terminal.
Children pose cheekily in a playground in Temirtau: They have brighter prospects after a tough transition.	Man collecting scrap iron in front of a factory in Temirtau, a steel town that has seen better days.	For this rural family outside Almaty, change comes slowly.
Shopping at the Chinese market in Almaty -- goods have poured in from the People's Republic of China since the re-opening of the Silk Road.	Giant statue of miners in Karaganda is a reminder of the heyday of coal during Soviet times.	Wreaths in a cemetery near Karaganda in central Kazakhstan: Burial traditions remain unchanged.
Photos by Ian Gill, Principal External Relations Specialist, ADB