Geography
Area: 2.7 million sq. km. (1.56 million sq. mi.); ninth-largest nation
in the world; the size of Western Europe.
Major cities: Astana (capital, June 1998), Almaty (former capital),
Karaganda, and Shymkent.
Terrain: Extends east to west from the Caspian Sea to the Altay
Mountains and north to south from the plains of Western Siberia to the
oasis and desert of Central Asia.
Climate: Continental, cold winters and hot summers; arid and
semi-arid.
Border lengths: Russia 6,846 km., Uzbekistan 2,203 km., China 1,533
km., Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km., and Turkmenistan 379 km.
People
Nationality: Kazakhstani.
Population (2002): 14.8 million--down from 16.2 million in 1989;
second most-populated country in Central Asia.
Population distribution: 56.4% of population lives in urban areas.
Twenty-six cities had approximate populations of more than 50,000 in
1999--Astana (capital) more than 450,000, Almaty (former capital) 1.2
million, Karaganda 440,000, Shymkent 370,000, Taraz 340,000,
Ust-Kamenogorsk 310,000, Pavlodar 300,000.
Population growth rate (2002 est.): Large scale emigration of ethnic
Russians, Germans, and Ukrainians accounts for most of the population
decrease since 1989.
Population density: 9.3 people per sq. mi. (U.S. density 1990: 70.3
people per sq. mi.).
Ethnic groups (2002): Kazakh 55.8%, Russian 28.3%, Ukrainian 3.3%,
Uzbek 2.6%, German 1.8%, Uyghur 1.5%, other 5.0%.
Christian singles note-Religion: Sunni Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%,
Protestant 2%, other 7%.
Language: Kazakhstan is a bilingual country. Kazakh language has the
status of the "state" language, while Russian is declared
the "official" language. Russian is used routinely in
business; 64.4% of population speaks the Kazakh language.
Health (2001): Infant mortality rate--19.6/1,000. Life
expectancy--65.6 years (male 60.2 yrs.; female 71.1 yrs.). Health
care--34.6 doctors and 74.4 hospital beds per 10,000 persons.
Education: Mandatory universal secondary education. School system
consists of kindergarten, primary school (grades 1-4), secondary
school (grades 5-9), and high school (grades 10-11). Literacy rate--98.8%.
Work force (2001, 8.85 million): Industry--30%; agriculture--20%;
services--50%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: December 16, 1991 (from the Soviet Union).
Declaration of sovereignty: October 25, 1990.
Constitution: August 30, 1995 constitution adopted by referendum
replaced a 1993 constitution.
Branches: Executive--president, prime minister, Council of
Ministers. Legislative--Senate and Mazhilis. Judicial--Supreme
Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 17; 14 oblasts plus 3 cities--Almaty, the
former capital; Astana, the current capital; and the territory of
Baykonur, which contains the space launch center that the Russians
built and now lease. Political parties: As of August 2004, there were
twelve political parties registered by the Ministry of Justice. They
are the Agrarian Party, Ak Zhol (Bright Path), Asar (All Together),
Ayul (Farmers), the Civil Party, the Communist Party of Kazakhstan,
the Communist People’s Party, DVK (Democratic Choice), the
Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, Otan (Fatherland), The Party of
Patriots, and Rukhaniyat (Spirituality)
Suffrage: Universal, 18 years of age.
Economy
GDP (2003): $29.7 billion. (At average exchange rate of 149.6 KZT/USD
in 2003, GDP in 2003 was KZT 4449.8 billion.)
GDP growth rate: 13.2% (2001); 9.5% (2002); 9.2% (2003); 9.7%
(forecast 2004).
GDP per capita (2003): Purchasing power parity--$8,117.
Inflation rate: 6.4% (2001); 6.6% (2002); 6.8% (2003); 5-7% (forecast
2004).
Trade: Exports (2003)--$12.9 billion: oil products (65%), base
metals (20%), food and agricultural goods (6%), chemicals (4%). Imports
(2003)--$8.3 billion: machinery (43%), chemicals (15%), energy (12%),
base metals (12%), food (8%).
Gross external debt: $18.2 billion (2002); $22.9 billion (2003).
Central Bank's foreign exchange reserves: $3.1 billion (2002); $4.96
billion (2003).
National (oil) fund reserves: $1.9 billion (2002); $3.6 billion
(2003); $3.7 billion (Jan.-March 2004).
Officially recognized unemployment rate: 9.3% (2002); 8.7% (2003).
Exchange rate: 146.6 tenge/U.S. $1 (2003); 133.04 tenge/US $1 (October
2004).
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
Christian singles note-The majority of Kazakhstanis are ethnic Kazakh;
other ethnic groups include Russian, Ukrainian, Uzbek, German, and
Uyghur. Religions are Sunni Muslim, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, and
other. Kazakhstan is a bilingual country. The Kazakh language has the
status of the "state" language, while Russian is declared
the "official" language. Russian is used routinely in
business; 64.4% of the population speaks the Kazakh language.
Education is universal and mandatory through the secondary level, and
the literacy rate is 98.8%.
