A resident of Karaganda won gold at the International Geography Olympiad

The 21st International Geography Olympiad (iGeo-2025) was held in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. The prestigious intellectual competition brought together about 200 young talents from 47 countries. Kazakhstan was represented by four students of Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools. The team showed the best result in the history of the country's participation, winning two gold and two silver medals. Talgat Baibusunov, a resident of Karaganda, became one of the strongest experts in geography.

In his hometown, the winner was given a solemn welcome on the platform of the railway station.

According to Shuga Daurykbayeva, a mentor and teacher of geography at the Karaganda Niche, winning at the world level is a natural result of many years of purposeful work. Earlier, Talgat successfully performed at national and international competitions, confirming his knowledge and passion for the subject.

Talgat himself says that he has loved geography since childhood. He started solving school Olympiads in the eighth grade.

The selection for iGeo-2025 was serious, with several stages. Four people from 15 applicants were selected for the national team based on the results of two weeks of training and exams.

The competition in Thailand consisted of three stages: a written test, multimedia tasks and a field tour.

– The writing tour as a whole was not difficult, we were ready for it. The questions concerned geographical cases, phenomena, and so on. Of course, the field tour was the most difficult. It took place in real conditions on the island of Koh Kret. Its residents specialize in pottery. It was necessary to collect data on land use, identify local features and assess the tourism potential. During the work, a team of volunteers monitored academic integrity," Talgat Baibusunov said.

The multimedia test included 40 questions on various aspects of geography, from volcanism to cultural development. The answers were given an hour.

Talgat will begin his studies at Nazarbayev University on September 1. He enrolled in economics, but in the future he wants to specialize in geography.

– It is obvious that geography is needed to study spatial distribution and patterns. Many areas in the world are very dependent on geography, including natural resources and politics. Its impact on the economy is enormous," the winner of the international Olympiad believes.

The International Geographical Olympiad (iGeo) has been held annually since 1996 under the patronage of the International Geographical Union. Its purpose is to develop students' interest in geography and environmental issues, as well as to strengthen international cooperation. Kazakhstan has been participating in the Olympiad on a regular basis since 2012.