| In 1718, the Russians built a fort in Semipalatinsk (a city in present day Kazakhstan) to prevent raids into Russian territory.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Kazakhstan," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstan#Russian_Empire, accessed 3 December 2020.</ref> Independence was declared on 16 December 1991 <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Kazakhstan," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstan#Soviet_Union, accessed 3 December 2020.</ref> | | In 1718, the Russians built a fort in Semipalatinsk (a city in present day Kazakhstan) to prevent raids into Russian territory.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Kazakhstan," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstan#Russian_Empire, accessed 3 December 2020.</ref> Independence was declared on 16 December 1991 <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Kazakhstan," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstan#Soviet_Union, accessed 3 December 2020.</ref> |