By Fareed Zakaria, CNN
When the movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan premiered in 2006, Kazakhstan's government banned the film and threatened to sue its star. Six years later, Kazakhstan's foreign minister is thanking Borat, crediting the film with a large tourism boost. He called it a 'great victory' as the number of applications for tourist visas to Kazakhstan has grown tenfold.
Travelers can't look to Borat as an accurate depiction of the country. So how should they prepare for a trip?
Well, they could watch a 67-minute promotional film about the glorious country's history and recent achievements entitled In the Stirrups of Time. This one stars a different Brit, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The film features carefully selected clips from an interview with Blair who applauds the nation's diversity and progress.
It proudly celebrates Kazakhstan's recent accomplishments - political, educational, industrial, economic. Grab your passports, you are now an expert on Kazakhstan.
There were a few statistics that could not fit into the 67-minute video.
Kazakhstan ranks 172nd out of 196 countries in terms of press freedoms, 120 out of 183 in terms of corruption, 137 of 167 in The Economist's 2011 democracy index. Kazakhstan's president won the election with over 95% of the vote.
On second thought, maybe there is a Lonely Planet guide out there somewhere.
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wa wa wee wa!
Sacha Baron-Cohen (aka Borat) did not come up with this phrase. It was invented by a popular Israeli comedian, Dov Glickman, on a variety TV show "Zehu Ze". Glickman has since threatened to sue Baron-Cohen for his appropriation of the phrase.
Go away Jew, and take your lies and propaganda with you. The entire world knows what you are made of, nobody believes you anymore.
Heather, habibji, did you take your nasty pill tonight?
Tony Blair has been advising President Nursultan Nazarbayev on political reform and economic development in Kazakhstan. Blair's Faith Foundation which promotes respect and understanding between religions is trying to present a "sanitised image" of this repressive country, which is gearing up for the 20th anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union.
In reality I do not see any repressaive in Kazakstan whatsoever at all. The only people who see repressive regime there are the western people who got all the information about Kazakstan exclusively from Borat movie, or western politicians, both US and EU, who just must to say something for the sake of saying, but are too busy otherwise to have and informed views.
Nazarbayev is a late leader from the Gorbachev era. It turns out that he is THE MOST ADEQUATE politician in the entire Euroasian region: for the last twenty years he managed to steer his country out of troubles of any kind: religious and ethnic conflicts, dubious wars (including wars for the interests of a 3rd party and the so the called "wars on terror"); economic ressessions, inflation (hyper- or not), avoiding economic colonization by oil-loving western companies like Halliburton, Texaco, and Total (look in the region around to see what I mean). Western media accuses him in all kind of sins, incl. corruption, ruthlessness and other attributes of the "regime", short only of sleeping with 72 virgins per night (like Sylvio Berluscone). So what? That is the problem of western media.
Any president who has been "elected" and "re-elected" for 22 years is corrupt. And 95% of the vote? So... you're telling me that 19/20 people voted for him and not the other guy? And he's the only person to rule that country.... ever? Pretty corrupt I say
@Colin,
People elected FDR for 16 years as President of the USA. Had he lived, he would have easily have been elected for a 5th term, especially given his popularity, statesmanship, and stewardship. So don't base the fact that someone was elected for 22 years simply mean he/she has to be corrupt.
AlexShch – Please stop these lies. I am from Almaty. You cannot find a job here even with an engineering degree from American colleges. The government here is so corrupt they make these democrats and republicans look like angels. You speak against them and no doubt you will get killed.
you dont know anything about that country or you r with that regime.
Come on, guys. I am not a part of that regime. Nor am I idealizing anyone, I am just a realist.
Cannot find job even with an American college degree... well..., nowadays it is not so easy even in the United States. Besides, WHAT KIND of degree? The truth is that most American degrees are not very useful in the environments like Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakstan, not mentioning other republics. if you graduated and got a PhD in theoretical physics or an electrical engineering or aerospace or something degree from a leading American University and expect to get a dream job in Russia, Ukraine, or Kazakstan - good luck. I mean sweet dreams - you would not get it, not because that you are not good enough, but because they do not needed: these societies (and economies) are simply not sophisticated for you to offer the job. They are not as stupid as in Borat's movie, but they also live simple life. Do not blame Nazarbayev or Putin for that. Blame Yeltsyn, Chubais, and Gaidar, but even they do not bear the 100% responsibility.
If, on the other hand, you got a degree in Economics from Harward and became a super-specialist in speculation of derivatives and futures on stick market - do not expect to get a job in Kazakstan either. Again, for the same reason.
If you got a business degree - MBA or something - and expect to return to Kazakstan and feel yourself as a messiah at least one order of magnitude smarter than all people around - you will be disappointed as well. The tricky part of this type of business education is that the college is not just to get some knowledge, but also to start building up what is called "network", basically immense yourself into business environment, get to know people and become known yourself. Once taken out of this environment, your MBA degree becomes useless.
If you got a degree in something like "municipal management" from a top-grade American University - this became popular at some time ago, right? Fillbright scholarships were available. But same problem again: your american-taught management skills do not buy you a successful public servant career in Kazakstan. Same reasons as above: they do not fit well to local conditions (and traditions as well). Besides, successful bureaucrats have kids on their own, so all these lucrative positions are probably already taken.
Finally, if you got a political science "world leadership" degree from Yale University - as Alexey Navalny did - the only possible career for you is street protester (or internet blogger) because again, all lucrative political jobs are most likely to be taken, and besides you will be considered "tainted" as a politician because of your American connection.
So WHAT KIND of American degree?
people should learn to look at the bigger picture. I am sure there will be unexpected results. Be it any -istan or -states.
Shltholeistan? Hahahahahahaha
Borat's joke is based on insulting Gypsies and Internationally protected people (Jews).
• "Gypsy, who is the Woman you have shrunk?"
• "I arrived in America's Airport with clothings, U.S Dollars and a jar of Gypsy tears, to protect me from AIDS".
• "I feel like American movie star, Dirty Harold...".
• "Go ahead, make my day, Jew...".
• "He insists, we will not fly in case the Jews repeated their attack of 9/11".
Well, you might wonder, some people in America still saying, "The Jews were the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacked in U.S soil, since they do have people who do understands the World Cultures and languages. They do speak perfect Arabic".
100% Ethio ligthen up...Sacha Baren Cohen is JEWISH!
I thought he is Muslim
Sacha Baron-Cohen is like one of those pigs dressed as a chef that you see on BBQ place signs, offering to help you carve up the other pigs. He may need therapy worse than he needs an audience.
Mate, you DO have to take your meddies daily. Look at what happens when you miss a day. You write like a gallah.
Go ahead, get your angries out.
duh... it was supposed to show how incredibly silly it is to have such views. It is obviously outrageous to think in the manner that Borat did and the whole movie is a huge magnifying glass, exposing it for the ridiculousness that it is to think in this manner. How did you not get that?
Very Niceee!!!~
I hope now u come to my country, and you can use my sister!!!~
Got my passport Borat! I'm on my way.... WOOT!!! haha
I love you man!
Is she any good?
With all the wonders of the world, both man made and natural to see and all the interesting events going on, why would any sane, educated person want to go to the 'stan's of any name?
I don't know maybe the people and their culture, maybe a motel that has existed since before Genghis Kahns campaigns. Maybe some people arn't as sheltered as you and want to see parts of the ancient world like the silk road and other such things. You know its not all about the THING or the largest ball of twine.
If some people "want to see parts of the ancient world like the silk road and other such things..." they should rather go to Uzbekistan – for sure! That is close, but not the same thing! I like Kazakhstan people, but all they have had until recently was a steppe. They were nomads till probably the middle of the last century, you know.
Hindustan == India, pretty sure many sane, educated people would visit it.
While generalizing is never a good idea and there are a few decent places with "istan" within their names in addition to terrible places, Hindustan neither has "istan" in it nor it is a desirable place to visit as it's quite poverished, filthy, and disease filled. Hindus are absurdly proud for no reason, nobody buys your attempts to show India as something it is not. If one plans to visit, he needs to make sure to get a bunch of shots and keep his expectations extremely low in every aspect. You need to face the truth and get real.
Hold up folks, I have visited India many times (67) It is the most interesting place on earth. I am a Kiwi and we pride ourselves on our open minds. Pakistan is also a great place to visit but not so much if you are an American. Travel broadens the mind so give it a go without a uniform on.
To see the Tien Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan. One of the most remote areas of the world.
You have to be off this world to go to Kazakhstan because of this movie!
The Barat himself is English stand-up comedian.
The Barat's home village was obviously filmed in some place like Romania – has nothing to do with Kazakhstan altogether.
And the Kazakhstan itself is OK, but nothing of any interest neither geographically, no culturally or historically!
Yes, you probably could go to some place in mountains near Alma-Aty, but that is very long way for average skiing.
The Kazakhstan foreign minister was obviously joking!
"...the number of applications for tourist visas to Kazakhstan has grown ten fold."
From Zero to 10 people thinking about it.
FAIL MATH. 0 time 10 = 0. I think you meant 1 x 10 = 10
That is probably true: it is dramatically increased from non-existent to insignificant.
High Five!
Who the heck has never heard of Cossacks, the greatest horsemen in the world? "Borat" picked on the wrong bunch of cowboys.
Kazahs on another hand were quite peaceful nomadic tribes who lived on territory of today's Kazakhstan and did not make any trouble for anybody – as far as I know.
Well, in reality a significant portion of Kazakstan native population are descendents of warriors of Chingiz-khan who were, indeed, a skillful horsemen long before American cowboys, Ukranian Cossaks, or even Arabic horsemen.
Right because there's no way there could be any interaction between the histories of Russia/Ukraine and Kazakstan right? I mean it's not like Kazakstan's population is over 30% russian or anything, that would be crazy.
They were busy killing Jews
Not jews, but khazars.
All other nations run by little girls.
Of Course Sasha Baron Cohen is Jewish. So What?
half Iranian !
Glen certainly is feeling very proud of himself today. His mom must have given him a little bit
Just want to say that Borat is one of the best movies ever.
People,... It is a COMEDY! Get a life you F***ing MORONS...
A comedy indeed, ...but this comedy is the only source of knowledge for some influential US decision makers.
I remember when Kazakhstan was complaining to high hell that Borat painted them in a bad light and they moved against the movie being shown for slander or something like that. GO figure it pays off now they didn't get their way
2006 called, it wants its outdated references back.
There is no bigger bubble than Kazakhstan. A Central Asian Iceland. Be careful.
But they have got what Iceland don't: OIL!
I'm disappointed in the quality of this article.
It's plain to see that tourists are flocking to Kazakhstan because of its superior potassium. Why wasn't that mentioned in the article?
thought we cleaned these cohen vermin up in the 1940's.
oh well, dispora #4, coming real soon, will lead straight to the dust bin.
Do you need a visa to go there?
Yes.
This is a fascinating region of the world and yes, one that should be visited. Lonely Planet does put out a guidebook for this area – Central Asia – which comprises Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan. Parts of this region are resource-rich (natural gas and petroleum), beautiful, diverse in languages and cultures pre-dating the invasion of Genghis Khan's armies.....there is much to explore but a trip like this is not for your average tourist.
Lots of red tape to go through and lots of patience required. IN other words, the average poster here need not apply.
Fareed ! This is not the best use of your time. I like to see you write something on our dear friends China and its secerative regime...
THE RICHEST PERSON IN KAZAKHSTAN IS A JEWISH– HIS NAME IS MASHKOVICH,THIS NEW INDEPENDENT STATE FROM SOVIET DOESN'T HAVE A TRADITIONAL ANTYSEMITISM AS SOME OTHERS IN EU ! THERE ARE 130 ETHNICS LIVING TOGETHER PEACEFULLY IN KAZAKHSTAN,EVERY BODY IS ENJOYING HIS OWN STYLE OF LIFE THERE,KAZAKHSTAN IS NOT A "GREAT COUNTRY" FROM VIEW OF THE FILMMAKER BORAT,BUT JUST A RARE NAME PICKED UP OF A COUNTRY WHICH IS UNKNOWN FOR REST OF THE WORLD WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE JOKES ON SB.& MAKE HIMSELF TO BE GLORY GUY ...!THAT 'S IT.
Fareed!
Let's be truthful. America does not need to be in decline and we just need a leader who will recognize the strength of America and realize too that Israel is our friend. And Bretton Woods was the beginning of American leadership in the rest of the world. Russia, China, Communists, Castro, Venezula are all losers and I hope your not aligning yourself with them Fareed! They put down America and Americans have had enough of that!
USA IS THE LEADER & WILL BE THE LEADER ...!
Give it 20 years, but when USSR 2 emerges, they will eat Kazakhstan back up.
Oil money buys you great actors!