Kazakhstan

Branches

Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops); Kazakstan may also be establishing a maritime force - navy or coast guard - on the Caspian Sea

Defense expenditures

18.9 billion tenges, NA% of GDP (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 4,399,356 males fit for military service: 3,516,583 males reach military age (18) annually: 154,750 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios

4.088 million (with multiple speakers for program diffusion 6.082 million)

Telephone system

service is poor domestic: landline and microwave radio relay international: international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay and with other countries by satellite and through 8 international telecommunications circuits at the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat and a new satellite earth station established at Almaty of unknown type

Telephones

2.2 million

Television broadcast stations

NA; Orbita (TV receive only) earth station

Televisions

4.75 million Defense

Agriculture

grain, mostly spring wheat, cotton; wool, meat

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

national currency, the tenge, introduced on 15 November 1993

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $10 million (1993) note: commitments, 1992-95, $4,780 million ($1,795 million disbursements)

Economic overview

Kazakstan, the second largest of the former Soviet states in territory, possesses enormous untapped fossil-fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has considerable agricultural potential with its vast steppe lands accommodating both livestock and grain production. Kazakstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources and also on a relatively large machine building sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The breakup of the USSR and the collapse of demand for Kazakstan's traditional heavy industry products have resulted in a sharp contraction of the economy since 1991, with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994. The government has pursued a moderate program of economic reform and privatization, resulting in a gradual lifting of state controls over economic activity and a shifting of assets into the private sector. Nevertheless, government control over key sectors of the economy remains strong. Moreover, continued lack of pipeline transportation for expanded oil exports has closed off a likely source of economic recovery.

Electricity

capacity: 17,380,000 kW production: 65.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,700 kWh (1995 est.)

Exchange rates

tenges per US$1 - 64 (yearend 1995), 54 (yearend 1994)

Exports

$5.1 billion (1995) commodities: oil, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

External debt

$2.5 billion (of which $1.3 billion to Russia)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $46.9 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 28.5% industry: 41.5% services: 30% (1991 est.)

GDP per capita

$2,700 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-8.9% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; government eradication program; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and North America from Southwest Asia

Imports

$3.9 billion (1995) commodities: machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil and gas partners: Russia and other former Soviet republics, China

Industrial production growth rate

-8% (1995)

Industries

oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel, nonferrous metal, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials; much of industrial capacity is shut down and/or is in need of repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

60.3% (1995 est.)

Labor force

7.356 million by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 26%, other 43% (1992)

Unemployment rate

1.4% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers (September 1995 est.)

Area

total area: 2,717,300 sq km land area: 2,669,800 sq km comparative area: slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Climate

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Coastline

0 km (landlocked) note: Kazakstan borders the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)

Environment

current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout the country and 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 salinization from faulty irrigation practices natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic coordinates

48 00 N, 68 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined

Irrigated land

23,080 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 15% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: 57% forest and woodland: 4% other: 24%

Location

Central Asia, northwest of China

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m highest point: Zhengis Shingy 7,439 m

Administrative divisions

19 oblystar (singular - oblys) and 1 city (qalalar, singular - qala)*; Almaty Qalasy*, Almaty Oblysy, Aqmola Oblysy, Aqtobe Oblysy, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Kokshetau Oblysy, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Semey Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavl), Taldyqorghan Oblysy, Torghay Oblysy, Zhambyl Oblysy, Zhezqazghan Oblysy note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name differs from oblys name

Capital

Almaty

Constitution

adopted 28 January 1993; has been amended in April 1995 and August 1995

Data code

KZ

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Bolat NURGALIYEV chancery: (temporary) 3421 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-4504 through 4507

Executive branch

chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (since 22 February 1990) was elected chairman of the Supreme Soviet 22 February 1990, and president by popular election 1 December 1991; was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA 2000); results - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV ran unopposed; note - President NAZARBAYEV's term was extended to the year 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995 head of government: Prime Minister Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN (since 12 October 1994) and First Deputy Prime Ministers Nigmatzhan ISINGARIN (since 12 October 1994) were appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister note: President NAZARBAYEV has expanded his presidential powers by decree: 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

FAX

[1] (202) 333-4509

FAX

[7] (3272) 63-29-42

Flag

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 yellow

Independence

16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International organization participation

AsDB, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament

Majilis

elections last held 9 December and 23 December 1995 (next to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA; seats - (67 total) seats by party NA; note - 172 candidates were forwarded by parties and social organizations and 113 candidates were independents

Name of country

conventional long form: Republic of Kazakstan conventional short form: Kazakstan local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Other political or pressure groups

Independent Trade Union Center, Leonid SOLOMIN, president; Kazakstani-American Bureau on Human Rights, Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director; Democratic Committee on Human Rights; Independent Miners Union

Political parties and leaders

ALASH party; People's Unity Party (PUP; was Union of People's Unity), Akhan BIZHANOV, chairman; Democratic Party, Tulegen ZHUKEYEV and Altynbek SARSENBAYEV, cochairmen; People's Congress of Kazakstan (PCK), Olzhas SULEYMENOV, chairman; Socialist Party of Kazakstan (SPK; former Communist Party), Petr SVOIK, chairman; Communist Party, Baidabek TULEPBAYEV; National Democratic Party, Kamal ORMANTAYEV, chairman; AZAT party, Khasen KOZH-AKHMET, chairman; Confederation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakstan; Peasant Union of the Republic Kazakstan (KPU); Slavic Movement LAD, Aleksandra DOKUCHAYEVA, chairman; Party for Social Justice and Economic Revival "Tagibat"; Social Democratic Party, Dos KUSHIMOV, cochairman; People's Cooperative Party, Umirzak SARSENOV, chairman; Organization of Veterans; Republican Party

Senate

elections (indirect) last held 5 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) "independent" state officials 25, progovernment parties 11, other parties 2, vacant 9 (of which 7 are to be nominated by the president)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador A. Elizabeth JONES embassy: 99/97 Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakstan 480012 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3272) 63-39-05, 63-13-75, 63-24-26

Age structure

0-14 years: 30% (male 2,576,204; female 2,486,937) 15-64 years: 63% (male 5,203,035; female 5,451,404) 65 years and over: 7% (male 384,341; female 814,542) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

19.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

9.65 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Kazak (Qazaq) 41.9%, Russian 37%, Ukrainian 5.2%, German 4.7%, Uzbek 2.1%, Tatar 2%, other 7.1% (1991 official data)

Infant mortality rate

63.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Kazak (Qazaqz) official language spoken by over 40% of population, Russian (language of interethnic communication) spoken by two-thirds of population and used in everyday business

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.09 years male: 58.56 years female: 69.9 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 98% male: 99% female: 96%

Nationality

noun: Kazakstani(s) adjective: Kazakstani

Net migration rate

-10.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

16,916,463 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.15% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female all ages: 0.93 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.36 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 352 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 7 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 23 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 11 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 9 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 9 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 8 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 25 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 65 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 190 (1994 est.)

Highways

total: 87,873 km public roads paved: 82,568 km unpaved: 5,305 km (1994)

Pipelines

crude oil 2,850 km; refined products 1,500 km; natural gas 3,480 km (1992)

Ports

Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Railways

total: 13,841 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 13,841 km 1.520-m gauge (3,299 km electrified) (1992)

Waterways

4,002 km on the Syrdariya River and Ertis River