Kazakhstan

As a republic within the USSR (1920-91), Kazakhstan suffered greatly from Stalinist purges, from environmental damage, and saw the ethnic Russian portion of its population rise to 37% while other non-Kazakhs made up almost 20%. Current issues include the pace of market reform and privatization; fair and free elections and democratic reform; ethnic differences between Russians and Kazakhs; environmental problems; and how to convert the country's abundant energy resources into a better standard of living.

lowest point:

Vpadina Kaundy -132 m

highest point:

Zhengis Shingy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

• radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout the country and 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 faulty irrigation practices

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

28% (male 2,432,519; female 2,359,375)

15-64 years:

65% (male 5,279,877; female 5,580,271)

65 years and over:

7% (male 392,934; female 779,849) (1999 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.5 male(s)/female

total population:

0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

noun:

Kazakhstani(s)

adjective:

Kazakhstani

conventional long form:

Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form:

Kazakhstan

local long form:

Qazaqstan Respublikasy

local short form:

none

former:

Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

chief of state:

President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990-91, president since 1 December 1991)

head of government:

Prime Minister Nurlan BALGIMBAYEV (since 10 October 1997) and First Deputy Prime Minister Uraz ZHANDOSOV (since 20 February 1998)

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 had been 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 elected president; percent of vote--Nursultan NAZARBAYEV 82%, Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN 12%

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

• bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected, two from each oblast and Almaty, to serve four-year terms) and the Majilis (67 seats; members are popularly elected to serve four-year terms);
• note--with the oblasts being reduced to 14, the Senate will eventually be reduced to 37

elections:

Senate--(indirect) last held 5 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); Majilis--last held 9 December and 23 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999)

election results:

• Senate--percent of vote by party--NA;
• seats by party--party members 13, no party affiliation 34, of which "independent" state officials 25, nominated by the president 7, elected by popular vote 15;
• Majilis--percent of vote by party--NA;
• seats by party--PUP 24, December National Democratic Party 12, Kazakhstan Agrarian Union 5, Confederation of Kazakh Trade Unions 5, KPK 2, independents and others 19

chief of mission:

Ambassador Bolat K. NURGALIYEV

chancery:

1401 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036

consulate(s):

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Richard H. JONES

embassy:

99/97A Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan 480091

mailing address:

American Embassy Almaty, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7030

• 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 yellow

lowest 10%:

3.1%

highest 10%:

24.9% (1993)

• oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel, nonferrous metal, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials;
• much of industrial capacity is shut down and/or is in need of repair

total:

14,400 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines

broad gauge:

14,400 km 1.520-m gauge (3,299 km electrified) (1997)

total:

141,000 km

paved:

104,200 km

unpaved:

36,800 km (1997 est.)

total:

9

over 3,047 m:

4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)

• Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan;
• Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome

• significant illicit cultivation of cannabis and limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug ephedrone);
• limited government eradication program;
• cannabis consumed largely in the CIS;
• used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia, North America, and Western Europe from Southwest Asia