Question: What is the new name of the capital city of Kazakhstan?
(a) Astana
(b) Almaty
(c) Nursultan
(d) Taraz
Answer: (c)
Related facts:
- Kazakhstan’s Parliament voted to rename the country’s capital Astana as Nursultan on 20th March, 2019.
- This was done in honour of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who resigned dramatically from his post on 19th March, 2019. Nursultan, 78 was the President of Kazakhstan since it was disintegrated from Soviet Union in 1991.
- Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took oath as the interim President of Kazakhstan; Mr Tokayev proposed the new name to the capital city. The election is due on April 2020.
- The Senate also appointed eldest daughter of Nursultan Nazarbayev, Dariga Nazarbayev as the Speaker. She is the potential contender to succeed her father.
- Astana (now Nursultan) became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997. With a population of more than 10 lakhs the capital is the second-largest city in Kazakhstan, behind Almaty.
Links:
http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=Kazakhstan-to-rename-country%26%2339%3bs-capital-Astana-as-Nursultan&id=361224
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/kazakhstan-renames-capital-nursultan-after-ex-president/article26592259.ece
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astana