The United States formally recognized the independence of Kazakhstan on December 25, 1991, which was the same day the President George H.W. Bush addressed the nation on the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The first American Embassy in Kazakhstan was set up in Alma-Ata (currently Almaty) on February 3, 1992, with William Harrison Courtney assuming the position as the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.[1] The Embassy of the United States was originally located in Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan. However, following the transfer of the capital from Almaty to Astana, the U.S. Embassy was also relocated to Astana in 2006.[2]
The two nations have worked closely together after Kazakhstan renounced its nuclear weapons in 1993 and shut down the Semipalatinsk Test Site (the primary testing venue for the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons), with the United States aiding Kazakhstan in the disposal of its nuclear arsenal and infrastructure.[2] The country is the number one producer of uranium ore as of 2021.[3]
In addition to the main Embassy in Astana, there is a U.S. Consulate General located in Almaty which maintains certain consular and diplomatic functions within the country.[2]
‡ Missions which are located in countries or cities that may be considered a part of more than one continent
1 Consulates-General which function as an embassy (ie. consul reports to State Department, not the respective country's ambassador)
2 The American Institute in Taiwan is ostensibly a public, non-profit organization to promote US-Taiwanese relations, but through State Department staffing & assistance, functions as an informal US diplomatic mission.