Kazakhstan

Broadcast media

state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; there are 3 TV channels: Kazakhstan, KAZsport, Balapan; and 4 radio stations: Kazakh Radiosy, Shalkar, Astana, and Classic; some former state-owned media outlets have been privatized; households with satellite dishes have access to foreign media; a small number of commercial radio stations operate along with state-run radio stations; recent legislation requires all media outlets to register with the government and all TV providers to broadcast in digital format by 2018; broadcasts reach 98.63% of the population as well as neighboring countries (2017)

Internet country code

.kz

Internet users

total: 14,100,751 | percent of population: 76.8% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Telephone system

general assessment: inherited an outdated telecommunications network from the Soviet era requiring modernization | domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is inadequate; mobile-cellular usage increased rapidly and the subscriber base approaches 140 per 100 persons | international: country code - 7; international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (2017)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 3,931,100 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 25.395 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $27.21 billion | expenditures: $27.57 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Central bank discount rate

11% (10 April 2017) | 12% (9 January 2017) | country comparison to the world: 19

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15.33% (31 December 2016 est.) | 13.18% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

Current account balance

$-8.518 billion (2016 est.) | $-5.142 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 181

Debt - external

$163.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $154.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Distribution of family income - Gini index

26.3 (2013) | 31.5 (2003) | country comparison to the world: 141

Economy - overview

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 made initial attempts to diversify its economy by targeting sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing for greater development and investment. | Kazakhstan's vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves form the backbone of its economy. Chevron-led Tengizchevroil announced a $36.8 billion expansion of Kazakhstan’s premiere Tengiz oil field in July 2016. Meanwhile, the super-giant Kashagan field finally launched production in October 2016 after years of delay and an estimated $55 billion in development costs. | Kazakhstan is landlocked and depends on Russia to export its oil to Europe. It also exports oil directly to China. 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 (EAEU) in January 2015. In part due to weak commodity prices, Kazakhstan’s exports to EAEU countries declined 23.5% in 2016. Imports from EAEU countries to Kazakhstan declined 13.7%. | The economic downturn of its EAEU partner, Russia, and the decline in global commodity prices from 2014 to 2015 contributed to an economic slowdown in Kazakhstan, which continues to experience its slowest economic growth since the financial crises of 2008-09. In 2014, Kazakhstan devalued its currency, the tenge, and announced a stimulus package to cope with its economic challenges. In the face of further decline in the ruble, oil prices, and the regional economy, Kazakhstan announced in 2015 it would replace its currency band with a floating exchange rate, leading to a sharp fall in the value of the tenge. Since reaching a low of 391 to the dollar in January 2016, the tenge has modestly appreciated, helped by somewhat higher oil prices. | Despite some positive institutional and legislative changes in the last several years, investors remain concerned about corruption, bureaucracy, and arbitrary law enforcement, especially at the regional and municipal levels. An additional concern is the condition of the country’s banking sector, which suffers from low liquidity, poor asset quality, and a lack of transparency. Investors also question the potentially negative effects on the economy of a contested presidential succession as Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, who turns 77 in 2017, has not announced whether he will seek reelection in 2019.

Exchange rates

tenge (KZT) per US dollar - | 342.13 (2016 est.) | 342.13 (2015 est.) | 221.73 (2014 est.) | 179.19 (2013 est.) | 149.11 (2012 est.)

Exports

$37.3 billion (2016 est.) | $46.52 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Italy 20.3%, China 11.5%, Russia 9.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, Switzerland 7.3%, France 4.9% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$133.7 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$451.2 billion (2016 est.) | $440.7 billion (2015 est.) | $430.8 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 42

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 55.8% | government consumption: 12.2% | investment in fixed capital: 23% | investment in inventories: 5.3% | exports of goods and services: 33.3% | imports of goods and services: -29.6% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 4.8% | industry: 33.9% | services: 61.3% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$25,200 (2016 est.) | $25,300 (2015 est.) | $25,300 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 77

GDP - real growth rate

1.1% (2016 est.) | 1.2% (2015 est.) | 4.3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 170

Gross national saving

22.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | 26.6% of GDP (2015 est.) | 28.6% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.3% | highest 10%: 22% (2013 est.)

Imports

$27.87 billion (2016 est.) | $33.84 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Russia 36.2%, China 14.5%, Germany 5.7%, US 5.1% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

1.3% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.6% (2016 est.) | 6.7% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Labor force

8.999 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 18.1% | industry: 20.4% | services: 61.6% (2017 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$744 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.737 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $26.23 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Population below poverty line

2.7% (2015 est.)

Public debt

26.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | 23.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$29.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $27.87 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Stock of broad money

$37.78 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $25.34 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$32.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $29.53 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$143.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $125.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Stock of domestic credit

$55.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $51.85 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Stock of narrow money

$13.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $8.934 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Taxes and other revenues

20.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149

Unemployment rate

5% (2016 est.) | 5% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

257.8 million Mt (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25

Crude oil - exports

1.292 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Crude oil - imports

145,800 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

Crude oil - production

1.595 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Crude oil - proved reserves

30 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 12

Electricity - consumption

95.26 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Electricity - exports

1.614 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Electricity - from fossil fuels

86.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

13.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Electricity - imports

1.618 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - installed generating capacity

22.06 million kW (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Electricity - production

100.4 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

13.1 billion cu m (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - exports

13.7 billion cu m (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - imports

4.7 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas - production

21.38 billion cu m (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 15

Refined petroleum products - consumption

186,300 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Refined petroleum products - exports

846 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Refined petroleum products - imports

44,490 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Refined petroleum products - production

228,600 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Area

total: 2,724,900 sq km | land: 2,699,700 sq km | water: 25,200 sq km | country comparison to the world: 10

Area - comparative

slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Climate

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Coastline

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)

Elevation

mean elevation: 387 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m | highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

48 00 N, 68 00 E

Geography - note

world's largest landlocked country and one of only two landlocked countries in the world that extends into two continents (the other is Azerbaijan); Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

Irrigated land

20,660 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 13,364 km | border countries (5): China 1,765 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,212 km, Russia 7,644 km, Turkmenistan 413 km, Uzbekistan 2,330 km

Land use

agricultural land: 77.4% | arable land 8.9%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 68.5% | forest: 1.2% | other: 21.4% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

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

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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) | note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the lease to 2050

Capital

name: Astana | geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E | time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | note: Kazakhstan has two time zones

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kazakhstan | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: previous 1937, 1978 (preindependence), 1993; latest approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995 | amendments: proposed by the president of the republic on the recommendation of Parliament or the government; the president has the option of submitting draft amendments to Parliament or directly to a referendum; passage of amendments to Parliament requires three-fourths majority vote of both houses and the signature of the president; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote by more than one-half of the voters in at least two-thirds of the oblasts, major cities, and the capital, followed by the signature of the president; amended several times, last in 2017 (2017)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan | conventional short form: Kazakhstan | local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy | local short form: Qazaqstan | former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic | etymology: the name "Kazakh" derives from the Turkic word "kaz" meaning "to wander," recalling the Kazakh's nomadic lifestyle; the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Kazakhstan literally means "Land of the Wanderers"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador George KROL (since 18 March 2015) | embassy: Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Ave. No 3, Astana 010010 | mailing address: use embassy street address | telephone: [7] (7172) 70-21-00 | FAX: [7] (7172) 54-09-14 | Consulate(s) General: Almaty

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Erzhar KAZYKHANOV (since 24 April 2017) | chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 | telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488 | FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845 | consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991) | head of government: Prime Minister Bakytzhan SAGINTAYEV (since 9 September 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Askar MAMIN (since 13 September 2016) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 26 April 2015 (next to be held in 2020); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the Mazhilis; note - constitutional amendments in May 2007 shortened the presidential term from 7 to 5 years and established a 2-consecutive-term limit; NAZARBAYEV has official status as the "First President of Kazakhstan" and is allowed unlimited terms | election results: Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (Nur Otan) 97.8%, other 2.2%

Flag description

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

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, 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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of 44 members); Constitutional Council (consists of 7 members) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges proposed by the president of the republic on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council and confirmed by the Senate; judges normally serve until age 65 but can be extended to age 70; Constitutional Council - the president of the republic, the Senate chairperson, and the Majilis chairperson each appoints 1 member for a 3-year term and each appoints 1 member for a 6-year term; chairperson of the Constitutional Council appointed by the president of the republic for a 6-year term | subordinate courts: regional and local courts

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 32 members indirectly elected by majority 2-round vote by the oblast-level assemblies and 15 members appointed by the president; members serve 6-year terms, with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the Mazhilis (107 seats; 98 members directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 9 indirectly elected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, a 350-member, presidentially appointed advisory body designed to represent the country's ethnic minorities) | elections: Senate - last held on 28 June 2017 (next to be held in 2020); Mazhilis - last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held by 2021) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nur Otan 16; Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur Otan 82.2%, Ak Zhol 7.2%, Communist People's Party 7.1%, other 3.5%; seats by party - Nur Otan 84, Ak Zhol 7, Communist People's Party 7

National anthem

name: "Menin Qazaqstanim" (My Kazakhstan) | lyrics/music: Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV | note: adopted 2006; President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV played a role in revising the lyrics

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

National symbol(s)

golden eagle; national colors: blue, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Ak Zhol (Bright Path) Party or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol [Azat PERUASHEV] | Auyl National Patriotic Party [Ali BEKTAYEV] (a merger of the Patriots’ Party and the Auyl Social Democratic Party) | Birlik (Unity) [Serik SULTANGALI] (a 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)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA] | Chairman of Bureau's Council [Roza AKYLBEKOVA] | Foundation for Support of Civil Initiatives [Nurul RAKHIMBEK] | International Legal Initiative [Aina SHORMANBAYEVA] | Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law or KIBHR [Rosa AKYLBEKOVA] | 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 or RNIM [Daniyar LIVAZOV] | Transparency International [Natalya KOVALEVA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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.

Military branches

Kazakhstan Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air Defense Forces (2017)

Military expenditures

0.82% of GDP (2016) | 3.45% of GDP (2015) | 1.04% of GDP (2014) | 1.08% of GDP (2013) | 1.05% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 81

Military service age and obligation

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; military cadets in intermediate (ages 15-17) and higher (ages 17-21) education institutes are classified as military service personnel (2017)

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.91% (male 2,374,427/female 2,434,212) | 15-24 years: 14.05% (male 1,329,376/female 1,277,615) | 25-54 years: 42.42% (male 3,847,282/female 4,024,052) | 55-64 years: 9.97% (male 810,019/female 1,040,917) | 65 years and over: 7.65% (male 494,064/female 924,734) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

18.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2% (2015) | country comparison to the world: 100

Contraceptive prevalence rate

55.7% (2015)

Death rate

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 50.4 | youth dependency ratio: 40.3 | elderly dependency ratio: 10.2 | potential support ratio: 9.8 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

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.)

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2009) | country comparison to the world: 138

Ethnic groups

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<1000 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

26,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68

Health expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 158

Hospital bed density

7.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 22.3 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Languages

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.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.1 years | male: 65.9 years | female: 76 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 152

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 99.8% | male: 99.8% | female: 99.8% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality rate

12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Median age

total: 30.6 years | male: 29.3 years | female: 31.9 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Mother's mean age at first birth

25 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

noun: Kazakhstani(s) | adjective: Kazakhstani

Net migration rate

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 94

Physicians density

3.27 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

18,556,698 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

1.04% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

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.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years | male: 15 years | female: 15 years (2016)

Sex ratio

at birth: 0.94 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 0.98 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.78 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female | total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.25 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 3.9% | male: 3.6% | female: 4.3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Urbanization

urban population: 53.2% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Illicit drugs

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 8,451 (2016)

Airports

96 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 59

Airports - with paved runways

total: 63 | over 3,047 m: 10 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 | under 914 m: 8 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 33 | over 3,047 m: 5 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 | under 914 m: 13 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

UP (2016)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 11 | by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 | foreign-owned: 3 (Austria 1, Ireland 1, Turkey 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 109

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 10 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 71 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,081,631 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 37,669,008 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Caspian Sea - Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev) | river port(s): Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk) (Irtysh River)

Railways

total: 14,184 km | broad gauge: 14,184 km 1.520-m gauge (4,056 km electrified) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 19

Roadways

total: 97,418 km | paved: 87,140 km | unpaved: 10,278 km (2012) | country comparison to the world: 48

Waterways

4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 25