Kazakhstan

highest point:

Pik Khan-Tengri 7,010 m; note - the northern most 7,000 meter peak in the World

lowest point:

Qauyndy Oyysy -132 m

mean elevation:

387 m

fresh water lake(s):

Ozero Balkhash - 22,000 sq km; Ozero Zaysan - 1,800 sq km

salt water lake(s):

• Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Russia) - 374,000 sq km;
• Aral Sea (north) - 3,300 sq km;
• Ozero Alakol - 2,650 sq km;
• Ozero Teniz 1,590 sq km;
• Ozero Seletytenzi - 780 sq km;
• Ozero Sasykkol - 740 sq km

• most of the country displays a low population density, particularly the interior;
• population clusters appear in urban agglomerations in the far northern and southern portions of the country

• world's largest landlocked country and one of only two landlocked countries in the world that extends into two continents (the other is Azerbaijan);
• Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq mi) of territory enclosing the Baikonur Cosmodrome

noun:

Kazakhstani(s)

adjective:

Kazakhstani

total:

32.1 years (2025 est.)

male:

30 years

female:

33.8 years

• most of the country displays a low population density, particularly the interior;
• population clusters appear in urban agglomerations in the far northern and southern portions of the country

at birth:

1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.56 male(s)/female

total population:

0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

8.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

73.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

69 years

female:

77.9 years

urban:

98% of population (2022 est.)

urban:

2% of population (2022 est.)

total:

3.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

1.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

20.1% (2025 est.)

male:

35.7% (2025 est.)

female:

6.3% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

0.2% (2015)

women married by age 18:

7% (2015)

• radioactive or toxic chemical sites from former defense industries;
• severe industrial pollution in some cities;
• air and soil pollution (including dust storms) from chemical pesticides and natural salts left after two rivers were diverted;
• soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals;
• salination from infrastructure and irrigation practices;
• water pollution;
• desertification

party to:

Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

urban population:

58.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

energy:

1,903.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

781.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

184.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

17.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

4.66 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

3.8% (2022 est.)

municipal:

4.877 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial:

5.995 billion cubic meters (2022)

agricultural:

14.264 billion cubic meters (2022)

conventional long form:

Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form:

Kazakhstan

local long form:

Qazaqstan Respublikasy

local short form:

Qazaqstan

former:

Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology:

the name may derive from the Turkic word kazak, meaning "nomad;" the Persian suffix - stan means "place of" or "country"

history:

previous 1937, 1978 (pre-independence), 1993; latest approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995

amendment process:

• introduced by a referendum initiated by the president of the republic, on the recommendation of Parliament, or by the government;
• the president has the option of submitting draft amendments to Parliament or directly to a referendum;
• passage of amendments by Parliament requires four-fifths majority vote of both houses and the signature of the president;
• passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote by more than one half of the voters in at least two thirds of the oblasts, major cities, and the capital, followed by the signature of the president

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Kazakhstan

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

chief of state:

President Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (since 20 March 2019)

head of government:

Prime Minister Olzhas BEKTENOV (since 6 February 2024)

cabinet:

• the president appoints ministers based on the prime minister's recommendations;
• the president has veto power over all appointments and independently appoints the ministers of defense, internal affairs, and foreign affairs

election/appointment process:

• president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 7-year term (prior to September 2022, the president of Kazakhstan could serve up to two 5-year terms; legislation reduced it to one 7-year term);
• prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Mazhilis

most recent election date:

20 November 2022

election results:

2024: Olzhas BEKTENOV elected as prime minister; 69-0 in parliament;

• 2022 : Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV reelected president;
• percent of vote - Kassym-Jomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 81.3%, Zhiguli DAYRABAEV (Auyl) 3.4%, Qaraqat or Karakat ÄBDEN (KÄQŪA) 2.6%, Meyram KAZHYKEN (Amanat) 2.5%, Nurlan AUYESBAYEV (NSDP) 2.2%, Saltanat TURSYNBEKOVA (QA-DJ) 2.1%, other 5.8%

;

• 2019 : Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV elected president;
• percent of vote - Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 71%, Amirzhan KOSANOV (Ult Tagdyry) 16.2%, Daniya YESPAYEVA (Ak Zhol) 5.1%, other 7.7%

expected date of next election:

2029

legislature name:

Parliament (Parlament)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

House of Representatives (Mazhilis)

number of seats:

98 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

mixed system

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

3/19/2023

parties elected and seats per party:

• Amanat party (62);
• Auyl party (8);
• Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (6);
• Respublica (6);
• People's Party of Kazakhstan (5);
• Independents (7);
• Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber:

18.4%

expected date of next election:

March 2028

chamber name:

Senate

number of seats:

50 (40 indirectly elected; 10 appointed)

scope of elections:

partial renewal

term in office:

6 years

most recent election date:

1/14/2023

percentage of women in chamber:

20%

expected date of next election:

January 2026

highest court(s):

Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of 44 members); Constitutional Council (consists of the chairperson and 6 members)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court judges proposed by the president of the republic on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council and confirmed by the Senate;
• judges normally serve until age 65 but can be extended to age 70;
• Constitutional Council - the president of the republic, the Senate chairperson, and the Mazhilis chairperson each appoints 2 members for a 6-year term;
• chairperson of the Constitutional Council appointed by the president for a 6-year term

subordinate courts:

regional and local courts

• Ak Zhol Democratic Party or Ak Zhol
• Amanat formerly Nur Otan
• Auyl People's Democratic Patriotic Party or Auyl
• Green Party of Kazakhstan orBaytaq
• Nationwide Social Democratic Party or NSDP
• People's Party of Kazakhstan or PPK
• Respublica

chief of mission:

Ambassador Magzhan ILYASSOV (since 16 December 2025)

chancery:

1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 232-5488

FAX:

[1] (202) 232-5845

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-washington?lang=en

consulate(s) general:

New York, San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador-designate Julie STUFFT; Chargé d'Affaires Deborah ROBINSON (since January 2025)

embassy:

Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Avenue, No. 3, Astana 010010

mailing address:

2230 Astana Place, Washington DC 20521-2230

telephone:

[7] (7172) 70-21-00

FAX:

[7] (7172) 54-09-14

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://kz.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general:

Almaty

description:

• a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle, both centered on a sky-blue background;
• the left side displays a national pattern called koshkar-muiz (the horns of the ram) in gold

meaning:

• the blue color has religious significance for the Turkic peoples and symbolizes cultural and ethnic unity, as well as sky and water;
• the sun stands for wealth and plenitude, with rays shaped like grain;
• the eagle has appeared on Kazakh tribal flags for centuries and represents freedom, power, and the flight to the future

• winning design from a competition held in 1992;
• the design uses the national colors of yellow and blue, with blue standing for the hope for unity, peace, and friendship with all people and gold for a clear future for the country’s population;
• a shanyrak (the upper dome-like portion of a yurt) represents familial well-being, peace, and calmness, with the circular shape standing for life and eternity;
• the winged horses, or tulpars , protect the shanyrak and symbolize bravery, prosperity, and inspiration

title:

"Menin Qazaqstanim" (My Kazakhstan)

lyrics/music:

Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV

history:

adopted 2006; President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV played a role in revising the lyrics

total World Heritage Sites:

6 (3 cultural, 3 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (c);
• Petroglyphs at Tanbaly (c);
• Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan (n);
• Silk Roads: the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c);
• Western Tien-Shan (n);
• Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n)

• upper-middle-income Central Asian economy;
• robust growth due to rising oil production, expansion in manufacturing and services, rising domestic demand, and infrastructure investments;
• however, rapid growth contributing to high inflation rate;
• declining unemployment and poverty rates

agriculture:

3.9% (2024 est.)

industry:

31.4% (2024 est.)

services:

58.2% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

• oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, uranium, iron and steel;
• tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials

total:

3.8% (2024 est.)

male:

3% (2024 est.)

female:

4.8% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

50.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

4.3% (2021 est.)

highest 10%:

24.8% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

120.279 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

86.349 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

34.043 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

114,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

25.605 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

1.955 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

386,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

30 billion barrels (2021 est.)

production:

28.769 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

22.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports:

7.071 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

408.952 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

2.407 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

• the state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks;
• there are 96 TV channels, and 4 state-run radio stations;
• some former state-owned media outlets have been privatized;
• households with satellite dishes have access to foreign media;
• small number of commercial radio stations;
• all media outlets have to register with the government (2018)

total:

16,636 km (2021)

broad gauge:

16,636 km (2021) 1.520-m gauge (4,237 km electrified)

• available information varies widely;
• estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces;
• estimated 30,000 National Guard (2025)

• the Kazakh military's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era equipment;
• in recent years, it has sought to diversify to suppliers such as China, France, Israel, South Korea, and Türkiye;
• Kazakhstan has a defense industry capable of assembling or producing such items as naval vessels, combat vehicles, helicopters, and radar systems (2025)

• men 18-27 are subject to conscription for 12-24 months;
• conscripts may be assigned to the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Border Service, the State Security Service, or the Ministry of Emergency Situations;
• women may volunteer (2025)

• space program originated with the former Soviet Union;
• focuses on satellite acquisition and operation;
• builds (with foreign assistance) and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites;
• building space infrastructure, such as launch and testing facilities, ground stations, and rocket manufacturing;
• has an astronaut (cosmonaut) program;
• has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, and the UK;
• participates in international programs such as the International Space Station;
• has state-owned and private companies that assist with the country’s space program and work closely with foreign commercial entities (2025)

• 1991 - first Kazakh in space on the last Soviet Soyuz mission
• 2006 - first communications satellite (KazSat-1) built jointly with Italy and launched by Russia
• 2014 - first remote sensing satellite (KazEOSat-1) built by France and launched on European rocket
• 2024 - joined China-led lunar base project

refugees:

66,152 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

0 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

7,865 (2024 est.)