Almaty

views updated May 18 2018

Almaty (formerly Alma-Ata) Largest city and, until 2000, capital of Kazakstan, near the se border with Kyrgyzstan. In 1991 it hosted the meeting of 11 former Soviet republics that led to the Alma-Ata Declaration, which created the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In 1995 the government decided to move the capital to Aqmola (now Astana). Industries: foodstuffs, tobacco, timber, printing, film-making, leather, machinery. Pop. (1999) 1,129,400.

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