October 25, 1990, holds immense significance for the citizens of Kazakhstan, representing a pivotal moment in their history. On this historic day, Kazakhstan declared its sovereignty, marking the beginning of a new era in the nation’s development. The Declaration of Independence served as the foundational legislation for the emerging country, setting the stage for its future path.
A month later, Kazakhstan took a momentous step towards promoting global peace and security. The country passed a resolution, prohibiting any further nuclear testing at the infamous Semipalatinsk test site.
Following the August 1991 abortive coup attempt in Moscow and the subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan declared independence on December 16, 1991. With the collapse of the Soviet Union just days later, the process of self-identification of multiethnic Kazakhstan as an independent nation accelerated.
The years following independence have been marked by significant reforms to the Soviet command-economy and political monopoly on power. Under Nursultan Nazarbayev, who initially came to power in 1989 as the head of the Kazakh Communist Party and was eventually elected President in 1991, Kazakhstan has made significant progress toward developing a market economy, for which it was recognized by the United States in 2002. The country has enjoyed significant economic growth since 2000, partly due to its large oil, gas, and mineral reserves.
