Kazakhstan
Republic of KazakhstanQazaqstan Respublikasy
republicIndependence 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Kazakhstan as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 128 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
17 fieldsLand useshare of 2,717,300 sq km
Location
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
Terrain
extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
Elevation extremes
- lowest point:
- Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
- highest point:
- Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources
major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Environment - current issues
- radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country 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 poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
- signed, but not ratified:
- Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note
- landlocked;
- Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome;
- in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(1999 census)
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.)
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.)
Languages
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
Government
Republic; President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991); Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June 2003)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Senate, 77 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Kazakhstan
- conventional short form:
- Kazakhstan
- local long form:
- Qazaqstan Respublikasy
- local short form:
- none
- former:
- Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
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 (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk)
Constitution
adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993
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
- 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
- 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 arranged a referendum in 1995 that expanded his presidential powers: 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
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)
- elections:
- Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to be held December 2005);
- Majilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004 (next to be held September 2009)
- 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
Political parties and leaders
- Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV];
- AIST (Agrarian Party-Civic Party Bloc);
- Ak Zhol Party "Bright Path" [Bulat ABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Lyudmila ZHULANOVA, Alikhan BAYMENOV, Altynbek SARSENBAYEV, co-chairs];
- ASAR "All Together" [Dariga NAZARBAYEVA, chairwoman];
- AUL "Village" [Gani KALIYEV];
- 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 [Galiymzhan ZHAKIYANOV];
- Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Maksut NARIKBAEV];
- Otan "Fatherland" [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, 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];
- Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];
- Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN];
- Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director];
- Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman];
- Republican Network of International Monitors [Dos KUSHIM];
- Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]
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, MIGA, 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
- chancery:
- 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 232-5488
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 232-5845
- consulate(s):
- New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
- embassy:
- 99/97A Fumanova, 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
Economy
Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals.
46 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer. Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources and also on a growing machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items.
The breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector.
Kazakhstan enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity.
The country has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector, by developing light industry. Additionally, the policy aims to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel; the government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil companies over the terms of production agreements, and tensions continue.
Industries
- oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;
- tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials
Exports - commodities
oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)
Exchange rates
tenge per US dollar - 149.576 (2003), 153.279 (2002), 146.736 (2001), 142.133 (2000), 119.523 (1999)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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
Transportation
10 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
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 (2004 est.)
Military
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Republican Guard
7 fieldsMilitary manpower - military age and obligation
- 18 years of age for compulsory military service;
- conscript service obligation - 2 years;
- minimum age for volunteers NA (2004 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kazakhstan.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kazakhstan/2004.