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Community full menu: Twinning
Twin towns - Kostanai
Policy and Governance Service - March 2008
international@kirklees.gov.uk
Name of twin town:
Kostanai, Kazakhstan.
Twinning links with Kirklees established:
In July 1989, the Leaders of Kirklees Council and Kostanai Town Administration
signed the following declaration:
"We wish to jointly work for a more secure and peaceful world, by increasing
the understanding between our two Countries, through the promotion of
Education, Sporting, Cultural and Trade Links between Kostanai and Kirklees."
Since then exchange visits have been arranged involving school students,
youth groups, teachers, journalists, musicians, medical professionals,
technical staff and civic officials.
Location:
To the south of the Ural Mountains and Siberia, in the Steppes of northwest
Kazakhstan. The land is fairly flat. Some is cultivated, some is grassland
and some covered by forests and natural lakes.
Distance from Kirklees:
Approximately 4,000 kilometres.
Area (KM):
Kostanai Town covers an area of 90 square
kilometres. Kostanai Oblast (region) covers an area the size of England.
Population:
Kostanai Town 220,000 inhabitants. Kostanai Oblast 1 million inhabitants
.
Language(s) spoken:
Russian, Kazakh
Ethnic groups:
Russian, Kazakh, Ukrainian, German, Armenian, Korean and many others.
Religions:
Russian Orthodox, Muslim, Protestant.
Currency:
Tenge
Other twin towns:
None
How to get there:
Direct flights to Kazakhstan:
There are direct flights from abroad into Almaty, the former capital of
Kazakhstan and Astana, the new capital. These flights do not usually have
economy class and so can be expensive. Almaty is 1350 kilometres to the
south east of Kostanai. Travel from Kostanai to Almaty takes 2 days by
train. Astana is 375 kilometres to the south east of Kostanai, with travel
here taking approximately a day by train. Internal flights in Kazakhstan
are unreliable and not always available.
Via Germany:
There are weekly flights from Frankfurt to Kostanai run by Air Astana,
which connect well with flights from Manchester to Frankfurt. The journey
takes a day. However non EU Citizens require a full Schengen visa to travel
this way, as it is necessary to leave the transit area in Frankfurt Airport
in order to reclaim baggage before checking in for the next flight.
Visa requirements:
UK citizens need visas to travel to Kazakhstan. Visas are obtainable from
the Consular Department of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in London.
Telephone 0891 600207
An HIV certificate is required for multi - entry visas.
Medical requirements:
Obtain advice from your GP. Up to date inoculations are usually recommended
for polio, tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria and hepatitis A.
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