Kazakhstan is a major Central Asian state occupying a key geopolitical position in a region of huge interest to the West as well as to its potential superpower neighbors. External vulnerability is compounded by internal instability in a region of intense rivalry and a potential geopolitical flashpoint. This ground-breaking political study is within an historical framework and based not only on original official and academic material but, most importantly, on over 150 interviews with leaders of the national and regional elite.