republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
Independence date
16 December 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
tenge (KZT) per US dollar - 120.25 (2008 est.), 122.55 (2007), 126.09 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.100%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
13
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
Area
36,125 km sq
2,724,900 km sq
Coastline
350 km
0 km
Climate
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid