Statistical information Kazakhstan 1999

Kazakhstan in the World
top of pageBackground: As a republic within the USSR (1920-91), Kazakhstan suffered greatly from Stalinist purges, from environmental damage, and saw the ethnic Russian portion of its population rise to 37% while other non-Kazakhs made up almost 20%. Current issues include the pace of market reform and privatization; fair and free elections and democratic reform; ethnic differences between Russians and Kazakhs; environmental problems; and how to convert the country's abundant energy resources into a better standard of living.
top of pageLocation: Central Asia, northwest of China
Geographic coordinates: 48 00 N, 68 00 E
Map reference:
Commonwealth of Independent StatesAreaTotal: 2,717,300 km²
Land: 2,669,800 km²
Water: 47,500 km²
Comparative: slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundariesTotal: 12,012 km
Border countries: (5) China 1,533 km;
, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km;
, Russia 6,846 km;
, Turkmenistan 379 km;
, Uzbekistan 2,203 kmCoastline: 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)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
Extremes highest point: Zhengis Shingy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land useArable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 11%
Permanent pastures: 57%
Forests and woodland: 4%
Other: 16% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 22,000 km² (1996 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
GeographyNote: landlocked
top of pagePopulation: 16,824,825 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: -0.09% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Kazakhstani(s)
Adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic groups: Kazakh (Qazaq) 46%, Russian 34.7%, Ukrainian 4.9%, German 3.1%, Uzbek 2.3%, Tatar 1.9%, other 7.1% (1996)
Languages: Kazakh (Qazaq) (state language) 40%, Russian (official, used in everyday business) 66%
Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 28% (male 2,432,519; female 2,359,375)
15-64 years: 65% (male 5,279,877; female 5,580,271)
65 years and over: 7% (male 392,934; female 779,849) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: -0.09% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 17.16 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.34 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -7.73 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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 salination from faulty irrigation practices
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 58.82 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 63.39 years
Male: 57.92 years
Female: 69.13 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98%
Male: 99%
Female: 96% (1989 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
Conventional short form: Kazakhstan
Local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
Local short form: none
Former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type: republic
Capital: Astana
Note: the government moved from Almaty to Astana in December 1998
Administrative divisions: 14 oblystar (singular_oblysy) and 3 cities (qala, singular_qalasy)*; Almaty, Almaty*, Aqmola (Astana), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan (Oral), Bayqongyr*, Mangghystau (Aqtau; formerly Gur'yev), Ongtustik Qazaqstan (Shymkent), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan (Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan (Petropavl), Zhambyl (Taraz; formerly Dzhambul)
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 km² enclosing the Bayqongyr (Baykonur) space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (formerly Leninsk)
Dependent areasIndependence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Day of the Republic, 25 October (1990) (date on which Kazakhstan declared its sovereignty)
Constitution: adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990-91, president since 1 December 1991)
Head of government: Prime Minister Nurlan BALGIMBAYEV (since 10 October 1997) and First Deputy Prime Minister Uraz ZHANDOSOV (since 20 February 1998)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note_President NAZARBAYEV's previous term had been extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV elected president; percent of vote_Nursultan NAZARBAYEV 82%, Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN 12%
Note: President NAZARBAYEV 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
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected, two from each oblast and Almaty, to serve four-year terms) and the Majilis (67 seats; members are popularly elected to serve four-year terms); note_with the oblasts being reduced to 14, the Senate will eventually be reduced to 37
Elections: Senate_(indirect) last held 5 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); Majilis_last held 9 December and 23 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999)
Election results: Senate_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_party members 13, no party affiliation 34, of which "independent" state officials 25, nominated by the president 7, elected by popular vote 15; Majilis_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_PUP 24, December National Democratic Party 12, Kazakhstan Agrarian Union 5, Confederation of Kazakh Trade Unions 5, KPK 2, independents and others 19
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (44 members; Constitutional Council (7 members)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Bolat K. NURGALIYEV
In the us chancery: 1401 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 232-5,488
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 232-5,845
In the us consulates: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES
From the us embassy: 99/97A Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan 480,091
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Almaty, Department of State, Washington, DC 20,521-7,030
From the us telephone: [7] (3,272) 63-39-21, 63-13-75, 50-76-23
From the us FAX: [7] (3,272) 63-38-83
Flag description
: 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Kazakhstan, the second largest of the former Soviet republics 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. Kazakhstan'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 Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products have resulted in a sharp contraction of the economy since 1991, with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97 the pace of the government program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. The December 1996 signing of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium agreement to build a new pipeline from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field to the Black Sea increases prospects for substantially larger oil exports in several years. Kazakhstan's economy turned downward in 1998 with a 2.5% decline in GDP growth due to slumping oil prices and the August financial crisis in Russia. 1999 will also be a difficult year.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -2.5% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $3,100 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 11.5%
Industry: 32.6%
Services: 55.9% (1997 est.)
Agriculture products: grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; wool, livestock
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
Industrial production growth rate: -2.1% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 8.8 million (1997)
By occupation industry: 27%
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 23%
By occupation other: 50% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 13.7% (1998 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $2.9 billion
Expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1998 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $6.3 billion (1998 est.)
Commodities: oil, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal
Partners: Russia, UK, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Netherlands, China, Italy, Germany (1997)
Imports: $7.4 billion (1998 est.)
Commodities: machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil and gas, consumer goods
Partners: Russia, Ukraine, US, Uzbekistan, Turkey, UK, Germany, South Korea (1997)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $3.1 billion (1998 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: tenges per US$1_85.2 (February 1999), 78.30 (1998), 75.44 (1997), 67.30 (1996), 60.95 (1995), 35.54 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 52 billion kWh (1997)
Production by source fossil fuel: 86.3%
Production by source hydro: 13.6%
Production by source nuclear: 0.1%
Production by source other: 0% (1997)
Consumption: 64.34 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 1.75 billion kWh (1996)
Imports: 8.5 billion kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 2 million (1997)
Telephone system: service is poor
Domestic: landline and microwave radio relay; AMPS standard cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
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 digital satellite earth station established at Almaty; a third satellite earth station at Atyrau provides teleconnectivity to the AT&T network via Intelsat; cable connected by the Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $232.4 million (1998)
Percent of gdp: 1% (1998)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 10 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 9
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 2,850 km; refined products 1,500 km; natural gas 3,480 km (1992)
RailwaysTotal: 14,400 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
Broad gauge: 14,400 km 1.520-m gauge (3,299 km electrified) (1997)
RoadwaysWaterways: 3,900 km on the Syrdariya (Syr Darya) and Ertis (Irtysh)
Merchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan; Russia leases approximately 6,000 km² of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: significant illicit cultivation of cannabis and limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug ephedrone; limited government eradication program; cannabis consumed largely in the CIS; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia, North America, and Western Europe from Southwest Asia