| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Asia |
| Geographical Location |
48° 00' North Latitude
68° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
2,717,300 sq km |
| Climate |
Continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid |
| Natural Resources |
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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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Capital City |
Astana |
| 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) |
| Independence Day |
16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
15,185,844 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Kazakhstani |
| Ethnic Groups |
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) |
| Religion |
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7% |
| Languages |
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.) |
| Population Growth Rate |
0.3% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Tenge (KZT) |
| 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 |
| Labor Force |
7.95 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture Products |
Grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock |
| Export Commodities |
Oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001) |
| Export Partners |
Russia 13.5%, Bermuda 13.4%, China 10.4%, Germany 9.2%, Switzerland 9.1%, France 6.7% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8% (2001) |
| Import Partners |
Russia 33.9%, China 13.6%, Germany 9.6%, France 6.8% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
13,601 km |
| Highways |
82,980 km |
| Pipelines |
Condensate 18 km; gas 10,370 km; oil 10,158 km; refined products 1,187 km (2004) |
| Airports |
314 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk) |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+7 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.kz |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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. |
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