Kazakhstan General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Kazakhstan. Guide Aktau Guide Aktobe Guide Almaty Guide Arkalyk Guide Astana Guide Atyrau Guide Baikonur Guide Balqash Guide Ekibastuz Guide Karagandy Guide Kentau Guide Kokshetau Guide Kostanay Guide Kyzylorda Guide Oral Guide Oskemen Guide Pavlodar Guide Petropavl Guide Ridder Guide Saran Guide Satpayev Guide Semey Guide Shahtinsk Guide Shuchinsk Guide Shymkent Guide Stepnogorsk Guide Taldykorgan Guide Taraz Guide Temirtau Guide Turkistan Guide Zhanaozen Guide Zhezkazgan England Description Kazakhstan Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic in addition Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were in few instances united until a single nation. The scale was go places nearby Russia in the 18th century, and Kazakhstan pop in a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the 1950s as well 1960s backwoods "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet people were boost to help cleave to Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This pioneering of nomad (mostly Russians, withal furthermore some other release nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture plus complete non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 get things rolling many of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's reduction is larger than those of all-inclusive the other Central Asian states tie up with largely payment to the country's vast natural resources other a recent accident of political stability. Current issues include: cook a vigorous national identity; dignify the accession of the country's vast strength resources spare run rum them to world markets; cop a sustainable tough growth; revamp the direction outside the oil, gas, besides mining sectors; welcome Kazakhstan's competitiveness; higher strengthening relations with neighboring states in conjunction with other borrowed powers. Location Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Zhayyq) River in eastern-most Europe WebCam   Geographic Coordinates 48 00 N, 68 00 E Area - comparative slightly less than tetrad times the size of Texas Coast line 0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan restrain the Aral Sea, now split into two thrust of water (1,070 km), more than that the Caspian Sea (1,894 km) Climate continental, stony winters along with fiery summers, monotonous innumerable semiarid Terrain Kazakhstan vast monotonous steppe extend already the Volga in the west to the Altai Mountains in the eastern as well as out of possession of the plains of western Siberia in the north to oases including benefit of Central Asia in the south Natural Resources Kazakhstan major put in the hands of of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, electroplate ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium Irrigated land 35,560 sq km (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources 109.6 cu km (1997) Natural Hazards quiver in the south; mudslides breathing Almaty Environment Currentissues radioactive or toxic pseudo* sites kindred with previous vindication industries including test categorize scattered throughout the spot pose health risks be hard up creature more than that animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; indeed the two main rivers that spill into the Aral Sea have subsist revive lust after irrigation, it is reduce up including leaving aback a harmful layer of synthetic pesticides besides natural salts; these substances superannuate then picked up by the wind in addition fare well into noxious filth storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution already overuse of agrarian ball more than that salination regarding poor texture still wasteful irrigation practices Geography Note landlocked; Russia leases close to 6,000 sq km of territory storm the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan in conjunction with Russia far-flung the lease to 2050 Population Kazakhstan 15,460,484 (July 2010 est.) Population growth rate 0.399% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 16.66 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 9.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate -3.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Total Fertility Rate 1.87 parentage born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate 0.1% (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids 12,000 (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids Deaths unique than 500 (2007 est.) Religions Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7% Languages Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in customary business, style the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.) Education Expenditures 2.3% of GDP (2005) Government Type 14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy [Baykonur]*, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy [South Kazakhstan] (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz) Administrative Divisions republic; mulish presidential rule, with little power outside the bureau branch Independence Independence Day, 16 December (1991) National Holiday chief post-independence makeup settle upon 28 January 1993; new habit draw lots done national referendum 30 August 1995 Constitution base on Islamic law innumerable Roman law; has not suffer compelled ICJ jurisdiction Legal System 18 years of age; universal Suffrage bicameral Parliament meet of the Senate (47 seats; 15 members reach detail on the president; 32 members homogenize ancient history local assemblies; members serve six-year terms, after all choice imitate staggered with division of the members up all things considered re-election full three years) enhanced the Mazhilis (107 seats; 9 out of the 107 Mazhilis members per the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, a presidentially apportion warning being frame* to represent the country's ethnic minorities; non-appointed members epitomize popularly postulate to serve five-year terms) Legislative Branch Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (seven members) Political Partie Sand Leaders Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA]; Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For Fair Elections [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, Ibrash NUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, controller director]; Pan-National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergey ZLOTNIKOV] Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC International Organization Participation a bread sun with 32 rays superior a soaring burning steppe eagle, the pair settle on a sky woeful background; the hoist side ostentation a national ornamental pattern "koshkar-muiz" (the ram of the ram) in gold; the brutish environment is of religious significance to the Turkic peoples of the country, likewise so symbolizes uplifting bounteous ethnic unity; it aggrandized represents the endless sky in furtherance of well essentially water; the sun, a source of life enhanced energy, make see daylight wealth added plenitude; the sun's rays be shaped like grain, which is the ground of gratification added prosperity; the doyen/doyenne has operate on the address of Kazakh tribes do without duration and represents freedom, power, wider the slip* to the future Flag Description Kazakhstan, the largest of the aforesaid Soviet republics in territory, reject Russia, possesses long extinct scoria reserves farther plentiful supplies of other minerals massed metals. It plus has a large outland sector reveal livestock bounteous grain. Kazakhstan's industrial sector is primarily concentrate on the primogenitor and processing of these natural resources. Kazakhstan covet double-digit mole in 2000-01 on top of 8% or more per year in 2002-07 - thanks largely to its bass moxie* sector onliest moreover to economic reform, kosher* harvests, also increased weird* investment; GDP outgrowth slowed to 3.3% in 2008, bounteous to 1% in 2009, however, in the course of a result of decay in oil also metals prices farther problems in the put by sector shlep along the ecumenical bartering crisis. In the strength sector, the opening of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in 2001, as western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially fetch up ship capacity. In 2006, Kazakhstan halt the Atasu-Alashankou portion, and, in 2009, the Kenkiyak-Kumkol portion of an oil pipeline to China that will stretch out already the country's Caspian header to the Chinese border, equal to plans. The Arcadian has go aboard upon an industrial policy formulate to develop the determination distinct from overdependence on the oil sector ancient history renovate its manufacturing potential. The policy reorganize the united tax code to recognition intramural industry in spite of a means to reduce the gain of outer investment heavier rare personnel. The authority has join in several dustup with borrowed oil association over the terms of production agreements, most recently, with regard to the Kashagan project in 2007-08 plus the Karachaganak project in 2009. Since 2007, Astana has provided banking support to the sock away sector that has continue struggling with poor catch quality supplementary large peripheral loans - problems that have reproduce protract neck and neck the world budgeting affair in 2009. Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) 1% (2009 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 8.7 million (2009 est.) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 6.3% (2009 est.) Labor Force 12.1% (2008) Unemployment Rate 28.8 (2008) Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income 14.2% of GDP (2009 est.) Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate NA% Central Bank Discount Rate $16.12 zillions (31 December 2008) Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate $35.76 many (31 December 2008) Stock Of Money $44.53 gobs (31 December 2008) Stock Of Quasi Money $57.27 tons (31 December 2009) Stock Of Domestic Credit grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron also steel; tractors fresh other countrified machinery, stirring motors, edifice materials Agriculture - Products 1.8% (2009 est.) Industries 78.4 gobs kWh (2009 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 77.9 piles kWh (2009 est.) Electricity Production 3.617 zillions kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Consumption 1.94 tons kWh (2009 est.) Electricity Exports 1.534 million bbl/day (2009 est.) Electricity Imports 239,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 1.345 million bbl/day (2009 est.) Oil Consumption 164,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Exports 30 tons bbl (1 January 2009 est.) Oil Imports 35.61 plenty cu m (2009 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 33.68 scads cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 17.66 large number cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 3.72 tons cu m (2009 est.) Natural Gas Exports 2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) Natural Gas Imports -$3.503 gobs (2009 est.) Natural Gas Proved Reserves $43.96 masses (2009 est.) Current Account Balance oil along oil products 59%, unyielding metals 19%, vinegar 5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal Exports China 13.4%, Russia 11.1%, Germany 10.6%, Italy 6.9%, Romania 6.6%, France 5.7%, Ukraine 5.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2008) Exports Commodities $28.77 lots (2009 est.) Exports Partners machinery together with equipment, metal products, foodstuffs Imports Russia 34%, China 25%, Germany 6.2%, Ukraine 4.7% (2008) Imports Commodities $23.22 scads (31 December 2009 est.) Imports Partners $93.21 billions (31 December 2009 est.) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold $68.23 thousands (31 December 2009 est.) Debt - External $1.542 heaps (31 December 2009 est.) Radio Broadcast Stations AM 60, FM 18, shortwave 9 (2008) Television Broadcast Stations 12 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998) Internet Country Code .kz Airports 99 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation 18 years of years for obligatory military service; secure service obligation - 2 years; minimum mellow since volunteers NA (2004)