Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of political stability. 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; diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers.
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Location:
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Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
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Geographic coordinates:
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48 00 N, 68 00 E
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Map references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 2,717,300 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than four times the size of Texas
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Land boundaries:
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total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
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Terrain:
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extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
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Natural resources:
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major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
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Land use:
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arable land: 8.28%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 91.67% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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35,560 sq km (2003)
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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15,233,244 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 23% (male 1,792,685/female 1,717,294)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 5,122,027/female 5,357,819)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 438,541/female 804,878) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 28.8 years
male: 27.2 years
female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.33% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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-3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 32.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 66.89 years
male: 61.56 years
female: 72.52 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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16,500 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 200 (2003 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani
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Ethnic groups:
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Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)
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Religions:
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Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
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Languages:
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Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (1999 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
local short form: Qazaqstan
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
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Government type:
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republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
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Capital:
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name: Astana
geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 30 E
time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Kazakhstan is divided into three time zones
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Administrative divisions:
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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); in 2004, a new agreement extended the lease to 2050
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Independence:
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16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
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Constitution:
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first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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 Karim MASIMOV (since 10 January 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Aslan MUSIN (since 11 January 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (two term limit); election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A. TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%
note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that extended his term of office and 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
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are elected by local government bodies, 2 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 Mazhilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Mazhilis members are elected from the winning party's lists; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - (indirect) last held December 2005; next to be held in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004 (next to be held in September 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11, ASAR (All Together) 4, Aq Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1 (party refused to take the seat due to criticism of the election and seat remained unoccupied), independent 18; note - most independent candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises and other pro-government institutions
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, co-chair, Zeynulla ALSHIMBAYEV, co-chair, Bakhytbek AKHMETZHAN, co-chair, Yerkin ONGARBAYEV, co-chair, Tolegan SYDYKOV, co-chair] (formerly Democratic Party of Kazakhstan); Aq Zhol Party (Bright Path) [Alikhan BAIMENOV, chairman]; AUL (Village) [Gani KALIYEV, chairman]; Communist Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV, first secretary]; Otan [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV, acting chairman] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with Otan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV, chairman]; Rukhaniyat (Spirituality) [Altynshash ZHAGANOVA, chairwoman]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA]; Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For a Just Kazakhstan [Bolat ABILOV]; For Fair Elections [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, Ibrash NUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Pan-National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAI]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]
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International organization participation:
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AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
embassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3172) 70-21-00
FAX: [7] (3172) 34-08-90
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves and plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. 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 - 8% or more per year in 2002-06 - 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. Kazakhstan in 2006 completed the Atasu-Alashankou portion of an oil pipeline to China that is planned to extend from the country's Caspian coast eastward to the Chinese border in future construction. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing light industry. 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; tensions continue. Upward pressure on the local currency continued in 2006 due to massive oil-related foreign-exchange inflows. Aided by strong growth and low inflation, Kazakhstan aspires to become a regional financial center and has created a banking system comparable to those in Central Europe.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$138.7 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$52.6 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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8.5% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$9,100 (2006 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 6.3%
industry: 41.1%
services: 52.7% (2006 est.)
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Labor force:
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7.834 million (2006 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 20%
industry: 30%
services: 50% (2002 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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7.4% (2006 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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19% (2004 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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31.5 (2003)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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8.6% (2006 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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27% of GDP (2006 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $18.48 billion
expenditures: $18.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
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Public debt:
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11% of GDP (2006 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock
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Industries:
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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
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Industrial production growth rate:
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7.7% (2006 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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66.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
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59.2 billion kWh (2006 est.)
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Electricity - exports:
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4.9 billion kWh (2004)
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Electricity - imports:
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4.37 billion kWh (2004)
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Oil - production:
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1.3 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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222,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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1 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - imports:
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47,000 bbl/day (2003)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)
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Natural gas - production:
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20.49 billion cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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15.75 billion cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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7.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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2.27 billion cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
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Current account balance:
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$133 million (2006 est.)
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Exports:
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$35.55 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)
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Exports - partners:
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Russia 12.4%, Germany 12%, China 11.2%, Italy 8.9%, France 8.6%, Romania 5.1%, US 4.5% (2005)
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Imports:
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$22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8% (2001)
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Imports - partners:
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Russia 35.7%, China 21.3%, Germany 7.1% (2005)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$15.26 billion (2006 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$53.89 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$74.2 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 (FY2004)
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Currency (code):
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tenge (KZT)
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Exchange rates:
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tenge per US dollar - 126.09 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004), 149.58 (2003), 153.28 (2002)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Airports:
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150 (2006)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 67
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 10 (2006)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 83
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 53 (2006)
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Heliports:
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4 (2006)
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Pipelines:
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condensate 658 km; gas 11,019 km; oil 10,338 km; refined products 1,095 km (2006)
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Railways:
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total: 13,700 km
broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2005)
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Roadways:
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total: 90,018 km
paved: 84,104 km
unpaved: 5,914 km (2004)
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Waterways:
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4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) rivers) (2005)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 27,173 GRT/43,475 DWT
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: 2 (Oman 2) (2006)
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Ports and terminals:
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Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)
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Military branches:
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Ground Forces, Naval Force, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - two years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 18-49: 3,758,255
females age 18-49: 3,822,845 (2005 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 18-49: 2,473,529
females age 18-49: 3,168,048 (2005 est.)
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males age 18-49: 173,129
females age 18-49: 168,697 (2005 est.)
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.5% (2006 est.)
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This page was last updated on 15 March, 2007
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