In present-day Kazakhstan, part of the Turk Khanate since the sixth century, the state of the Ogusians is formed in the tenth century. The area is conquered by the Mongols in the thirteenth century. Following this conquest administrative districts are established, which eventually become the territories of the Kazakh Khanate. The Kazakhs emerge from a mixture of tribes living in the region in about the 15th century and by the middle of the 16th century had developed a common language, culture and economy. In the early 1600s, the Kazakh Khanate separates into the Senior, Middle and Junior Hordes, confederations based on extended family networks. Between 1652 and 1680 the khanate is under Dzungarian suzerainty. After the death of Khan Kaip I in 1718, several khans are elected in different parts of the Kazakh Khanate. This means the final disunification og the khanate. The beginning of the 18th century marks the zenith of the Kazakh Khanate. The following 150 years see the gradual colonization of the Kazakh-controlled territories by Russia.

With the Russian seizure of territories belonging to the Senior Horde in the 1860s, Russia effectively rules over most of present-day Kazakhstan. At the disintegration of Russia in 1917 Kazakhstan proclaims independence. Alikhan Nurmukhamedovich Bukeykhanov of the Alash Orda becomes chairman of the People's Council. The area is invaded by Russian communists in 1920 and by 1925 Kazakhstan is under control of the USSR. It is an autonomous republic within Russia since 1920 and it becomes a a seperate union member in 1936. Growing tensions within the USSR lead to a demand for political and economic reforms, which comes to a head in the 1980s. In 1986, mass demonstrations by young ethnic Kazakhs take place in Almaty to protest the methods of the communist system. Soviet troops suppress the unrest and dozens of demonstrators are jailed. In the waning days of Soviet rule, discontent continues to grow and finds expression under Gorbachev's policy of Glasnost. Kazakhstan declares its sovereignty as a republic within the USSR in 1990.

Following the 1991 abortive coup attempt in Moscow and the subsequent dissolution of the USSR, Kazakhstan declared independence in 1991 as the Republic of Kazakhstan. Although the new republic gets a democratic constitution, de facto it is ruled as an authoritarian state by president Nursultan Nazarbayev. This is confirmed by the 1995 constitution. At the same time his policy has been marked by significant reforms in the direction to a market economy. Originally Nazarbayev's party is the People's Unity Party of Kazakhstan (SNEK), replaced in 1999 by Otan (Fatherland).