Shymkent, Kazakhstan

I very rarely get "new" countries on the official postcrossing site these days. I don't mind receiving cards from the same countries but I can't deny it's nice to get the occasional new country, it's always a nice surprise finding something a little different in my mailbox. This is one such card. I have a few postcards from Kazakhstan through swaps and such, but this is my first official from there.


KZ-1749

The picture is from Shymkent, and the people here are wearing traditional clothes from the area. Shymkent is the capital city of South Kazakhstan Province, the most populated region in Kazakhstan. It is the third most populous city in Kazakhstan behind Almaty and Astana with a population of 629,600 (2011). A major railroad junction on the Turkestan-Siberia Railway, the city is also a notable cultural centre, with an international airport. It is situated 690 km west of Almaty and 120 km to the north of Tashkent, Uzbekistan.



The "stamp" on the right is printed directly on the envelope the card arrived in. The other two were issued in 2010, to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Mirzhakyp Dulatov.