Here’s 10 things you probably didn’t know about Kazakhstan (with no mention of you know who)

Without any references to glorious nations or potassium here are 10 things you may not have known about Kazakhstan.

1. It is the world’s ninth largest country in area, just smaller than Argentina, just larger than Algeria. Just to put how big it is in perspective, you could fit almost 39 Irelands inside its borders.

2. They might be landlocked, the biggest landlocked country in the world in fact, but they have a navy. Set up in 2003, the 3,000 strong force has 14 vessels and is based on the Caspian Sea, which is a lake.

3. Their footballers might not be that well known but Kazakhstan had a great time at the Olympics, claiming 13 medals, seven of which were gold, and they ended up 12th on the medal table. Not bad for a country of just over 16 million.

4. Astana is where Ireland will face the Kazakhs tomorrow and the capital is the second coldest capital city on earth, with temperatures dipping to -40 in the winter and the annual average temperature is just 3.8 degrees. It’s grand in September though, so Trap’s lads won’t freeze.

5. Kazakhstan is also home to the world’s longest serving space launch facility, the snappily titled Baikonur Cosmodrome. In use since the late 1950s, the Russians still lease the land around it (for $115million a year) and fly their missions from there.

6. The world’s tallest chimney is in Kazakhstan, attached to the GRES-2 Power Station. It is 419.7 metres (1,377 ft) high and referred to by locals as ‘The Cigarette Lighter’. Poolbeg’s chimneys in Dublin are 207.48m (680 ft 9in) and 207.8m (681 ft 9in) high.

7. They also have the world’s tallest tent. The Khan Shatyr, pictured above, stands 150m (492 feet) tall and is an entertainment complex in the heart of Astana. It even has an indoor beach. We expect the visiting Irish fans to make full use of it over the next few days.

8. Kazakhstan is referred to as an ‘authoritarian regime’ by The Economist but they do hold elections. However, the man in charge, President Nazarbayev, has been in the job since 1991 and in the most recent elections last year, he won over 95 per cent of the vote. Hmmm.

9. Their national drink is Koumiss, a fermented horse milk. We’d prefer a pint of plain ourselves, to be honest.

10. Despite Sacha Baron Cohen’s version of the Kazakh anthem being played occasionally by ill-informed sporting bodies around the world, the real version is called 'My Kazakhstan' and was created in 2006. President Nazarbayev had a hand in writing the lyrics, apparently.