|
Background:
|
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and
Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region
in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single
nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in
1936. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural
"Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were
encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern
pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly
Russians, but also some other deported
nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in
1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate.
Current issues include: developing a cohesive
national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them
to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic
growth outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; and
strengthening relations with neighboring states and
other foreign powers. |
|
Location:
|
Central Asia, northwest of China; a
small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most
Europe |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
48 00 N, 68 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Asia |
|
Area:
|
total:
2,717,300 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly less than four times the
size of Texas |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan
1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km,
Uzbekistan 2,203 km |
|
Coastline:
|
0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan
borders the Aral Sea, now split into two bodies of
water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
none (landlocked) |
|
Climate:
|
continental, cold winters and hot
summers, arid and semiarid |
|
Terrain:
|
extends from the Volga to the Altai
Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to
oases and desert in Central Asia |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik
Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
major deposits of petroleum, natural
gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel,
cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite,
gold, uranium |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
7.98%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 91.97% (2001) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
23,320 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
earthquakes in the south, mudslides
around Almaty |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
radioactive or toxic chemical sites
associated with former defense industries and test
ranges scattered throughout the country pose health
risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution
is severe in some cities; because the two main
rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been
diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving
behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and
natural salts; these substances are then picked up
by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms;
pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from
overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination
from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation
practices |
|
Environment - international
agreements:
|
party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol |
|
Geography - note:
|
landlocked; Russia leases
approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the
Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and
Russia extended the lease to 2050 |
|
Population:
|
15,185,844 (July 2005 est.)
|
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
23.7% (male 1,834,535/female 1,758,988)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 5,075,243/female
5,312,536)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 424,341/female
780,201) (2005 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
28.52 years
male: 26.92 years
female: 30.25 years (2005 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.3% (2005 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
15.78 births/1,000 population (2005
est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2005
est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
-3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005
est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
29.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population:
66.55 years
male: 61.21 years
female: 72.2 years (2005 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.2% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with
HIV/AIDS:
|
16,500 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
less than 200 (2003 est.)
|
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%,
Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%,
Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census) |
|
Religions:
|
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%,
Protestant 2%, other 7% |
|
Languages:
|
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%,
Russian (official, used in everyday business,
designated the "language of interethnic
communication") 95% (2001 est.) |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (1999 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form:
Republic of Kazakhstan
conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
|
|
Government type:
|
republic; authoritarian presidential
rule, with little power outside the executive branch
|
|
Capital:
|
Astana; note - the government moved
from Almaty to Astana in December 1998 |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
14 provinces (oblystar, singular -
oblys) and 3 cities* (qala, singular - qalasy);
Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy
(Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau
Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr
Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda
Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen),
Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl
Oblysy (Taraz)
note: administrative divisions have the same
names as their administrative centers (exceptions
have the administrative center name following in
parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of Kazakhstan
and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia
would lease for a period of 20 years an area of
6,000 sq km enclosing the Baykonur space launch
facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baykonur,
formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended
the lease to 2050 |
|
Independence:
|
16 December 1991 (from the Soviet
Union) |
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
|
|
Constitution:
|
first post-independence constitution
adopted 28 January 1993; new constitution adopted by
national referendum 30 August 1995 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on civil law system
|
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state:
President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the
Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected
president 1 December 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal
AKHMETOV (since 13 June 2003); First Deputy Prime
Minister Akhmetzhan YESIMOV (since 14 May 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by
the president
elections: president elected by popular vote
for a seven-year term; election last held 10 January
1999, a year before it was previously scheduled
(next to be held NA 2006); note - President
NAZARBAYEV's previous term was extended to 2000 by a
nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995; prime
minister and first deputy prime minister appointed
by the president
election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV
reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan A.
NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani
KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%
note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a
referendum in 1995 that expanded his presidential
powers: only he can initiate constitutional
amendments, appoint and dismiss the government,
dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his
discretion, and appoint administrative heads of
regions and cities |
|
Legislative branch:
|
bicameral Parliament consists of the
Senate (39 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the
president; other members are popularly elected, two
from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of Astana,
and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms;
note - formerly composed of 47 seats) and the
Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis members
are elected from the winning party's lists; members
are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17
September 1999 (next to be held December 2005);
Majilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004
(next to be held September 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NA; candidates
nominated by local councils; Majilis - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST
11, ASAR (All Together) 4, Ak Zhol (Bright Path) 1,
Democratic Party 1, independent 18; note - most
independent candidates are affiliated with
parastatal enterprises and other pro-government
institutions |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court (44 members);
Constitutional Council (7 members) |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Ak
Zhol Party "Bright Path" [Bulat ABILOV, Uraz
ZHANDOSOV, Lyudmila ZHULANOVA, Alikhan BAYMENOV,
Altynbek SARSENBAYEV, co-chairs]; ASAR "All
Together" [Dariga NAZARBAYEVA, chairwoman]; AUL
"Village" [Gani KALIYEV]; Civic Party [Azat
PERUASHEV, first secretary]; Communist Party or KPK
[Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist
People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV];
Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Maksut NARIKBAEV];
Otan "Fatherland" [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV, acting
chairman]; Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV];
Rukhaniyat [Altynshash JAGANOVA] |
|
Political pressure groups and
leaders:
|
Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty
Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA]; Confederation of Free
Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; Kazakhstan
International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy
ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Pensioners Movement or
Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican
Network of International Monitors [Dos KUSHIM];
Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]
|
|
International organization
participation:
|
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the
US:
|
chief of mission:
Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC
20036
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
consulate(s): New York |
|
Diplomatic representation from
the US:
|
chief of mission:
Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
embassy: 99/97A Fumanova, Samal-2, Almaty,
480099
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3272) 50-48-02
FAX: [7] (3272) 50-48-84 |
|
Flag description:
|
sky blue background representing the
endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays soaring
above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on the
hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold
|
|
Economy - overview:
|
Kazakhstan, the largest of the former
Soviet republics in territory, excluding Russia,
possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as
plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It
also has a large agricultural sector featuring
livestock and grain. Kazakhstan's industrial sector
rests on the extraction and processing of these
natural resources and also on a growing
machine-building sector specializing in construction
equipment, tractors, agricultural machinery, and
some defense items. The breakup of the USSR in
December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products
resulted in a short-term contraction of the economy,
with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994.
In 1995-97, the pace of the government program of
economic reform and privatization quickened,
resulting in a substantial shifting of assets into
the private sector. Kazakhstan enjoyed double-digit
growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -
thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but
also to economic reform, good harvests, and foreign
investment. Growth remained at the high 9% level in
2003 and 2004. The opening of the Caspian Consortium
pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz
oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised
export capacity. The country has embarked upon an
industrial policy designed to diversify the economy
away from overdependence on the oil sector, by
developing light industry. Additionally, the policy
aims to reduce the influence of foreign investment
and foreign personnel; the government has engaged in
several disputes with foreign oil companies over the
terms of production agreements, and tensions
continue. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$118.4 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
9.1% (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $7,800
(2004 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
7.4%
industry: 37.8%
services: 54.8% (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
7.95 million (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 20%, industry 30%,
services 50% (2002 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
8% (2004 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
19% (2004 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption
by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%:
3.3%
highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.) |
|
Distribution of family income -
Gini index:
|
31.5 (2003) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
6.9% (2004 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
23.9% of GDP (2004 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$8.67 billion
expenditures: $8.968 billion, including
capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
13.7% of GDP (2004 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton;
livestock |
|
Industries:
|
oil, coal, iron ore, manganese,
chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite,
gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;
tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric
motors, construction materials |
|
Industrial production growth
rate:
|
10.6% (2004 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
66.82 billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - production by
source:
|
fossil fuel:
84.3%
hydro: 15.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
62.21 billion kWh (203) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
4.975 billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
2.506 billion kWh (2003) |
|
Oil - production:
|
1.2 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption:
|
189,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports:
|
890,000 bbl/day (2003) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
47,000 bbl/day (2003) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)
|
|
Natural gas - production:
|
11.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
11.01 billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
8.696 billion cu m (2003 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
1.8 trillion cu m (1 January 2004)
|
|
Current account balance:
|
$-39.02 million (2004 est.)
|
|
Exports:
|
$18.47 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
|
|
Exports - commodities:
|
oil and oil products 58%, ferrous
metals 24%, chemicals 5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool,
meat, coal (2001) |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Russia 15.1%, Bermuda 13.8%, Germany
11%, China 9.9%, France 6.6%, Italy 4% (2004)
|
|
Imports:
|
$13.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
|
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and equipment 41%, metal
products 28%, foodstuffs 8% (2001) |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Russia 34.6%, China 15.4%, Germany
8.2%, France 5.7%, Ukraine 4.6% (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and
gold:
|
$14.35 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
Debt - external:
|
$26.03 billion (2004 est.)
|
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$74.2 million in US assistance
programs, 1992-2000 (FY2004) |
|
Currency (code):
|
tenge (KZT) |
|
Currency code:
|
KZT |
|
Exchange rates:
|
tenge per US dollar - 136.04 (2004),
149.58 (2003), 153.28 (2002), 146.74 (2001), 142.13
(2000) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
|
Communications |
Kazakhstan |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
2,081,900 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
1.027 million (2002) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment:
service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave
radio relay; mobile cellular systems are available
in most of Kazakhstan
international: country code - 7;
international traffic with other former Soviet
republics and China carried by landline and
microwave radio relay and with other countries by
satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)
|
|
Radios:
|
6.47 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)
|
|
Televisions:
|
3.88 million (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.kz |
|
Internet hosts:
|
21,984 (2004) |
|
Internet Service Providers
(ISPs):
|
10 (with their own international
channels) (2001) |
|
Internet users:
|
250,000 (2002) |
|
Transportation |
Kazakhstan |
|
Railways:
|
total:
13,700 km
broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700
km electrified) (2004) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
82,980 km
paved: 77,918 km
unpaved: 5,062 km (2002) |
|
Waterways:
|
4,000 km
note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis
(Irtysh) rivers (2004) |
|
Pipelines:
|
condensate 18 km; gas 10,370 km; oil
10,158 km; refined products 1,187 km (2004)
|
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev),
Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey
(Semipalatinsk) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 3
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT
by type: cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: 2 (United Kingdom 2) (2005)
|
|
Airports:
|
314 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 67
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 247
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 197 (2004 est.) |
|
Heliports:
|
1 (2004 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense
Forces, Naval Force, Republican Guard |
|
Military service age and
obligation:
|
18 years of age for compulsory
military service; conscript service obligation - 2
years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)
|
|
Manpower available for military
service:
|
males age 18-49:
3,758,255 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military
service:
|
males age 18-49:
2,473,529 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military
service age annually:
|
males:
173,129 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar
figure:
|
$221.8 million (Ministry of Defense
expenditures) (FY02) |
|
Military expenditures - percent
of GDP:
|
0.9% (Ministry of Defense
expenditures) (FY02) |
|
Transnational Issues |
Kazakhstan |
|
Disputes - international:
|
in 2005, Kazakhstan agreed with
Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to commence
demarcating their boundaries; delimitation with
Kyrgyzstan is complete; creation of a seabed
boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea
remains unresolved; equidistant seabed treaties have
been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the
Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on
dividing the water column among any of the littoral
states |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
significant illicit cultivation of
cannabis for CIS markets, as well as limited
cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug
ephedrine); limited government eradication of
illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian
narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe |
|
