Before this nation gained its independence, its capital's former name of Tselinograd marked it as the center of the Virgin Lands Campaign, and many (*) nuclear tests were conducted at this nation's former Semipalatinsk Test Site.
The Irtysh River flows through Lake Zaysan before exiting this nation. The sources of the Ishim and Tobol Rivers are both located in this nation, and the Ishim flows through its capital. Its lowest point is the Karagiye Depression, located in its southwestern province of Mangystau, to the east of which lie the Moyunqum and Qizilqum Deserts. Before this nation gained its independence, its capital's former name of Tselinograd marked it as the center of the Virgin Lands Campaign, and many (*) nuclear tests were conducted at this nation's former Semipalatinsk Test Site. Its southeast contains its highest point of Khan Tengri as well as Lake Balkhash. This nation also contains the world's first and largest operational space launch facility, the Baikonur Cosmodrome. For 10 points, name this large Central Asian former Soviet republic containing cities like Almaty and Astana.
The Irtysh River flows through Lake Zaysan before exiting this nation.
Republic of Kazakhstan [or Qazaqstan RespublÃ¯kasi; or Respublika Kazakhstan]