Astana has been the capital of Kazakhstan since 1997 when President Nazarbaev decided to move parliament from Almaty to the city of Akmola 1300 km northwest. Its name was changed to Astana which means 'capital' in Kazakh dialect. It was originally founded in 1830 as a Cossack Fortress and during the Soviet Era, under Khrushchev, it became the capital of the Virgin Lands Project. This ill-fated scheme was an attempt to increase the amount of arable land by irrigating and planting the dry northern steppe regions. The last decade has, unsurprisingly, seen major building work as money from the country’s oil fields is invested in this new commercial centre.

It is interesting to see a city in such a state of transition, and as well as seeing the parliament buildings, fine art museum and central mosque it is well worth exploring the sprawling open-air bazaar and heading south of the river through Central Park.