azakhstan is a vast country of desert, steppe, and mountains in Central Asia, stretching from the Caspian Sea in the west to Mongolia in the east, from the Siberian forests in the north to the Tien Shan mountains in the south. Approximately 15 million people live in an area about four times the size of Texas.

Kazakhstan was the second largest republic of the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union was dismantled, Kazakhstan declared its independence in December 1991. The first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Kazakhstan in July 1993, and since then Volunteers have been helping people and communities make the difficult transition from communism to a free-market economy.

Just as importantly, Peace Corps Volunteers are engaging in a variety of cross-cultural exchanges that are helping Americans and Kazakhstanis gain a better understanding about each other's histories, languages, and cultures.

In collaboration with government ministries, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), Peace Corps Volunteers in Kazakhstan work in two program areas: education and organizational and community assistance.