Ethnic Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated to the region by 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. Soviet policies reduced the number of ethnic Kazakhs in the 1930s and enabled non-ethnic Kazakhs to outnumber natives. 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) further skewed the ethnic mixture. Non-Muslim ethnic minorities departed Kazakhstan in large numbers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s and a national program has repatriated about a million ethnic Kazakhs back to Kazakhstan. These trends have allowed Kazakhs to become the titular majority again. This dramatic demographic shift has also undermined the previous religious diversity and made the country more than 70% Muslim. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states largely due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity, expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets, diversifying the economy, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening relations with neighboring states and foreign powers.

Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Zhayyq) River in easternmost Europe

48 00 N, 68 00 E

Asia

slightly less than four times the size of Texas

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)

none (landlocked)

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the south

highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

arable land 8.9%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 68.5%

20,660 sq km (2012)

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

earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

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 that 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

world's largest landlocked country; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

18,360,353 (July 2016 est.)

Kazakh (Qazaq) 63.1%, Russian 23.7%, Uzbek 2.9%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Uighur 1.4%, Tatar 1.3%, German 1.1%, other 4.4% (2009 est.)

Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 74% (understand spoken language), Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 94.4% (understand spoken language) (2009 est.)

Muslim 70.2%, Christian 26.2% (mainly Russian Orthodox), other 0.2%, atheist 2.8%, unspecified 0.5% (2009 est.)

1.09% (2016 est.)

18.7 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)

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

Almaty 1.523 million; ASTANA (capital) 759,000 (2015)

25 (2013 est.)

12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

2.28 children born/woman (2016 est.)

51% (2010/11)

4.4% of GDP (2014)

3.62 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

7.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)

urban: 99.4% of population

rural: 85.6% of population

total: 92.9% of population

urban: 0.6% of population

rural: 14.4% of population

total: 7.1% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 97% of population

rural: 98.1% of population

total: 97.5% of population

urban: 3% of population

rural: 1.9% of population

total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)

0.21% (2015 est.)

23,100 (2015 est.)

500 (2015 est.)

23.5% (2014)

3.7% (2011)

3.1% of GDP (2009)

presidential republic

14 provinces (oblyslar, singular - oblys) and 2 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Almaty (Taldyqorghan), Almaty*, Aqmola (Kokshetau), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Mangghystau (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan [South Kazakhstan] (Shymkent), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan [North Kazakhstan] (Petropavl), Zhambyl (Taraz)

16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

previous 1937, 1978 (preindependence); latest adopted 28 January 1993, approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995; amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)

civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and by the theory and practice of the Russian Federation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

Ak Zhol (Bright Path) Party or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol [Azat PERUASHEV]

Auyl National Patriotic Party [Ali BEKTAYEV] (Auyl is a September 2015 merger of the Patriots’ Party and the Auyl Social Democratic Party)

Birlik (Unity) [Seril SULTANGALI] (Birlik is an April 2013 merger of Adilet (Justice; formerly Democratic Party of Kazakhstan) and Rukhaniyat (Spirituality))

Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]

National Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]

Nur Otan (Radiant Fatherland) Democratic People's Party [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with Otan)

Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]

Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Larissa KHARKOVA]

Foundation for Support of Civil Initiatives [Nurul RAKHIMBEK]

International Legal Initiative [Aina SHORMANBAYEVA]

Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Chairman of Bureau's Council, Roza AKYLBEKOVA, director]

Legal Media Centre (sometimes known as the North Kazakhstan Legal Media Centre) [Diana OKREMOVA]

Public Foundation for Parliamentary Development [Zauresh BATTALOVA]

Republican Network of International Monitors [Daniyar LIVAZOV]

Transparency International [Sergey ZLOTNIKOV]

ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle, both centered on a sky blue background; the hoist side displays a national ornamental pattern "koshkar-muiz" (the horns of the ram) in gold; the blue color is of religious significance to the Turkic peoples of the country, and so symbolizes cultural and ethnic unity; it also represents the endless sky as well as water; the sun, a source of life and energy, exemplifies wealth and plenitude; the sun's rays are shaped like grain, which is the basis of abundance and prosperity; the eagle has appeared on the flags of Kazakh tribes for centuries and represents freedom, power, and the flight to the future; blue and yellow are the national colors

golden eagle; national colors: blue, yellow

Kazakhstan, geographically the largest of the former Soviet republics, excluding Russia, possesses substantial fossil fuel reserves and other minerals and metals, such as uranium, copper, and zinc. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. The government realizes that its economy suffers from an overreliance on oil and extractive industries and has embarked on an ambitious diversification program, aimed at developing targeted sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing.

Kazakhstan's vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves form the backbone of its economy. Kazakhstan is landlocked and depends on Russia to export its oil to Europe. In 2010, Kazakhstan joined Russia and Belarus to establish a Customs Union in an effort to boost foreign investment and improve trade. The Customs Union evolved into a Single Economic Space in 2012 and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) in January 2015.

The economic downturn of its EEU partner, Russia, and the decline in global commodity prices have contributed to an economic slowdown in Kazakhstan, which is experiencing its slowest economic growth since the financial crises of 2008-09. Kazakhstan devalued its currency, the tenge, by 19% in February 2014, and in November 2014, the government announced a stimulus package to cope with its economic challenges. In spring 2015, Kazakhstan embarked on an ambitious reform agenda to modernize its economy and improve its institutions. In the face of further decline in the ruble, oil prices, and the regional economic slowdown, Kazakhstan announced in August 2015 that it would cancel its currency band in favor of a floating exchange rate that sparked further devaluation of the tenge. In 2015, Kazakhstan's president signed into law a new Entrepreneurial Code and a new Labor Code, both aimed at improving the business environment. Despite some positive institutional and legislative changes, investors remain concerned about corruption, bureaucracy, and arbitrary law enforcement, especially at the regional and municipal levels.

$460.7 billion (2016 est.)

$464.2 billion (2015 est.)

$458.9 billion (2014 est.)

$128.1 billion (2015 est.)

-0.8% (2016 est.)

1.2% (2015 est.)

4.3% (2014 est.)

$25,700 (2016 est.)

$26,300 (2015 est.)

$26,300 (2014 est.)

25.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

27.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

27.7% of GDP (2014 est.)

grain (mostly spring wheat and barley), potatoes, vegetables, melons; livestock

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

1.4% (2016 est.)

9.059 million (2016 est.)

5.7% (2016 est.)

5% (2015 est.)

5.3% (2011 est.)

28.9 (2011)

31.5 (2003)

18.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

-3% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

14.6% (2016 est.)

6.7% (2015 est.)

16% (31 December 2015)

5.5% (31 December 2014)

12.4% (31 December 2016 est.)

9.56% (31 December 2015 est.)

$10.66 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$8.933 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$52.89 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$56.49 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$60.94 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$50.83 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$34.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$22.97 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$26.23 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

-$2.785 billion (2016 est.)

-$4.436 billion (2015 est.)

$35.28 billion (2016 est.)

$46.29 billion (2015 est.)

oil and oil products, natural gas, ferrous metals, chemicals, machinery, grain, wool, meat, coal

China 15.1%, Russia 12.3%, France 9.2%, Germany 7.9%, Italy 6.7%, Greece 4.1% (2015)

$24.5 billion (2016 est.)

$33.65 billion (2015 est.)

machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs

Russia 32.9%, China 25.9%, Germany 4.2% (2015)

$30.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$28.07 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$147.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$153.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$148.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$139.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$35.27 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$33.77 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

tenge (KZT) per US dollar -

348.5 (2016 est.)

221.73 (2015 est.)

221.73 (2014 est.)

179.19 (2013 est.)

149.11 (2012 est.)

99 billion kWh (2014 est.)

91 billion kWh (2014 est.)

2.9 billion kWh (2014 est.)

1.7 billion kWh (2014 est.)

19 million kW (2014 est.)

87.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

12.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

1.653 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

1.466 million bbl/day (2013 est.)

142,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)

30 billion bbl (1 January 2016 es)

300,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

267,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

140,900 bbl/day (2013 est.)

53,780 bbl/day (2013 est.)

20.81 billion cu m (2014 est.)

15.97 billion cu m (2014 est.)

11.54 billion cu m (2014 est.)

6.695 billion cu m (2014 est.)

2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 es)

199 million Mt (2013 est.)

state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; nearly all nationwide TV networks are wholly or partly owned by the government; some former state-owned media outlets have been privatized; households (2015)

.kz

UP (2016)

96 (2013)

3 (2013)

condensate 658 km; gas 12,432 km; oil 11,313 km; refined products 1,095 km; water 1,465 km (2013)

4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River) (2010)

Kazakhstan Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Mobile Forces, Air Defense Forces (2013)

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 2 years, but Kazakhstan is transitioning to a largely contract force; 19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; military cadets in intermediate (ages 15-17) and higher (ages 17-21) education institutes are classified as military service personnel (2016)

1.21% of GDP (2012)

0.97% of GDP (2011)

1.21% of GDP (2010)

Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; field demarcation of the boundaries commenced with Uzbekistan in 2004 and with Turkmenistan in 2005; ongoing demarcation with Russia began in 2007; demarcation with China was completed in 2002; creation of a seabed boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains under discussion; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea

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; significant consumer of opiates