Kazakhstan, also spelled Kazakstan, (Kazakh: ҚазақÑтан, Qazaqstan, IPA ; Russian: КазахÑтан, Kazakhstán, IPA ), officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of northern and central Eurasia. Its territory of 2 717 300 km² (bigger than Western Europe) is partially located to the west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe.