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| Introduction | Kazakhstan |
| 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. |
| People | Kazakhstan |
| Population: | 15,143,704 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 1,884,369; female 1,807,585) 15-64 years: 68% (male 5,028,455; female 5,268,726) 65 years and over: 7.6% (male 404,940; female 749,629) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 28.3 years male: 26.6 years female: 30 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.26% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 15.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9.59 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 30.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 35.24 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 66.07 years male: 60.72 years female: 71.73 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 6,000 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 300 (2001 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Kazakhstani(s) adjective: Kazakhstani |
| Ethnic groups: | Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Uygur 1.4%, other 6.6% (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.) |
| Government | Kazakhstan |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Kazakhstan local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic local short form: none |
| Government type: | republic |
| 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 (Baykonyr, formerly Leninsk) |
| Independence: | 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday: | Republic Day, 25 October (1990) |
| Constitution: | adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993 |
| 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 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 expanded his presidential powers by decree: 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 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 |
| 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) 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 elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005); Majilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004 (next to be held NA September 2009) |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; AIST (Agrarian Party-Civic Party Bloc); Ak Zhol Party "Bright Path" [Bulat ABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Zhanat YERTLESOVA, Alikhan BAYMENOV, Altynbek SARSENBAYEV, co-chairs]; ASAR "All Together" [Dariga NAZARBAYEVA, chairwoman]; AUL "Village" [leader NA]; Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, first secretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]; Democratic Choice Party of Kazakhstan [Asylbek KOZHAKHMETOV]; Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Maksut NARIKBAEV]; Otan "Fatherland" [Gani YESIMOV, chairman]; Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV]; Rukhaniyat [Altynshash JAGANOVA] note: twelve parties in Kazakhstan were registered for the elections in the fall of 2004 |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Alash [Sabet-Kazy AKATAY]; AZAMAT "Citizen" Movement [Petr SVOIK, Murat AUEZOV, and Galym ABILSEITOV, cochairmen]; Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan [Galymzhan ZHAKIYANOV, Nurzhan SUBKHANBERDIN, cochairmen]; Labor and Worker's Movement [Madel ISMAILOV, chairman]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Orleu "Development" Movement [Seidakhmet KUTTYKADAM]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; People's Congress of Kazakhstan of NKK [Olzhas SULEIMENOV, chairman]; People's Cooperative Party of Kazakhstan [Umirzak SARSENOV]; Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan or RNPK [Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN] |
| 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, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845 consulate(s): New York telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488 chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY embassy: 97 Zholdasbekova, 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 |
| 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: 13,601 km broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 81,331 km paved: 77,020 km unpaved: 4,311 km (2000) |
| 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: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT by type: roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 26 Netherlands 1 (2003 est.) |
| Airports: | 392 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 64 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 328 under 914 m: 217 (2003 est.) over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 71 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 |
| Heliports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Kazakhstan |
| Military branches: | Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Republican Guard |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 4,233,623 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 3,381,606 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 169,004 (2004 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: | Kazakhstan and China have resolved their border dispute and are working to demarcate their borders to control population migration, illegal activities, and trade; delimitation of boundary with Russia is almost complete - delimitations with Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are complete with demarcations underway - delimitation with Kyrgyzstan is largely complete; creation of a seabed boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea is under discussion; equidistant seabed treaties have been signed 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 |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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