republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
republic
Independence date
16 December 1991 (from Soviet Union)
6 July 1975 (from France)
Religions
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Languages
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
tenge (KZT) per US dollar - 120.25 (2008 est.), 122.55 (2007), 126.09 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004)
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003) note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.100%
2.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
13
0
Location
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Area
2,724,900 km sq
2,235 km sq
Coastline
0 km
340 km
Climate
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
