Background: Ethnic Kazakhs derive from a mix of Turkic nomadic tribes that migrated to the region in the 15th century. The Russian Empire conquered the Kazakh steppe in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1925. Forced agricultural collectivization led to repression and starvation, resulting in more than a million deaths in the early 1930s. During the 1950s and 1960s, the agricultural 'Virgin Lands' program generated an influx of settlers -- mostly ethnic Russians, but also other nationalities -- and by the time of Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991, ethnic Kazakhs were a minority. However, 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 (from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang region of China) to Kazakhstan. As a result of this shift, the ethnic Kazakh share of the population now exceeds two-thirds. Kazakhstan's economy is the largest in Central Asia, mainly due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include diversifying the economy, attracting foreign direct investment, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening economic relations with neighboring states and foreign powers.

Area
Total: 2,724,900 km²
Land: 2,699,700 km²
Water: 25,200 km²
Comparative: slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 13,364 km
Border countries (5): (5) China 1,765 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,212 km; Russia 7,644 km; Turkmenistan 413 km; Uzbekistan 2,330 km

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)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

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

Elevation
Highest point: Pik Khan-Tengri 7,010 m; note - the northern most 7,000 meter peak in the World
Lowest point: Qauyndy Oyysy -132 m
Mean elevation: 387 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 79.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 11% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 68.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 1.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 19.3% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 17,794 km² (2022)

Major rivers: Syr Darya river mouth (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan) - 3,078 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Natural hazards: earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

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 km² (2,317 sq mi) of territory enclosing the Baikonur Cosmodrome

Population
Total: 20,260,006 (2024 est.)
Male: 9,817,172
Female: 10,442,834
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
Growth rate: 0.86% (2024 est.)

Languages: Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 80.1%, Russian 83.7%, English 35.1% (2021 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; Әлемдік деректер кітабы, негізгі ақпараттың таптырмайтын көзі. (Kazakh); Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: percentages are based on population that understands the spoken language

Religions: Muslim 69.3%, Christian 17.2% (Orthodox 17%, other 0.2%), Buddhism 0.1%, other 0.1%, non-believers 2.3%, unspecified 11% (2021 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 27.6% (male 2,883,200/female 2,712,772)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 6,233,881/female 6,486,019)
65 years and over: 9.6% (2024 est.) (male 700,091/female 1,244,043)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 59.3 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 44 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 15.3 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 6.5 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 31.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 30 years
Female: 33.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.86% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 17.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 58.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.987 million Almaty, 1.291 million NUR-SULTAN (capital), 1.155 million Shimkent (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.56 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 10 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 69 years
Female: 77.9 years

Total fertility rate: 2.58 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.8% (2024 est.); 4.9% (2023 est.); 4.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Astana
Geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E
Time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Time zone note: On 1 March 2024, Kazakhstan moved from using two time zones to one
Etymology: the name means 'capital city' in Kazakh
Note: founded in 1830 as Akmoly, the capital city became Akmolinsk in 1832, Tselinograd in 1961, Akmola (Aqmola) in 1992, Astana in 1998, and Nur-Sultan in 2019; the latest name change back to Astana in 2022 occurred just three and a half years after the city was renamed to honor a former president, who subsequently fell out of favor

Administrative divisions: 17 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 4 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Abay (Semey), Almaty (Qonaev), Almaty*, Aqmola (Kokshetau), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Bayqongyr*, Mangghystau (Aqtau), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Shymkent*, Soltustik Qazaqstan [North Kazakhstan] (Petropavl), Turkistan, Ulytau (Zhezqazghan), Zhambyl (Taraz), Zhetisu (Taldyqorghan)
Note 1: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses
Note 2: in 1995, the Kazakh and Russian governments agreed that Russia would lease for 20 years an area of 6,000 km² (2,317 sq mi) around the Baikonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baikonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, the lease was extended to 2,050

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (since 20 March 2019)
Head of government: Prime Minister Olzhas BEKTENOV (since 6 February 2024)
Cabinet: the president appoints ministers based on the prime minister's recommendations; the president has veto power over all appointments and independently appoints the ministers of defense, internal affairs, and foreign affairs
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 7-year term (prior to September 2022, the president of Kazakhstan could serve up to two 5-year terms; legislation reduced it to one 7-year term); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Mazhilis
Most recent election date: 20 November 2022
2024: Olzhas BEKTENOV elected as prime minister; 69-0 in parliament
2022: Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Kassym-Jomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 81.3%, Zhiguli DAYRABAEV (Auyl) 3.4%, Qaraqat or Karakat ÄBDEN (KÄQŪA) 2.6%, Meyram KAZHYKEN (Amanat) 2.5%, Nurlan AUYESBAYEV (NSDP) 2.2%, Saltanat TURSYNBEKOVA (QA-DJ) 2.1%, other 5.8%
2019: Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV elected president; percent of vote - Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 71%, Amirzhan KOSANOV (Ult Tagdyry) 16.2%, Daniya YESPAYEVA (Ak Zhol) 5.1%, other 7.7%
Expected date of next election: 2,029

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament (Parlament)
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle, both centered on a sky-blue background; the left side displays a national pattern called koshkar-muiz (the horns of the ram) in gold

National anthem
Title: 'Menin Qazaqstanim' (My Kazakhstan)
Lyrics/music: Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV
History: adopted 2006; President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV played a role in revising the lyrics

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 6 (3 cultural, 3 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 4.8% (2024 est.); 5.1% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.8% (2024 est.); 5.1% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 51.4% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.5% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 34.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -27.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.9% (2024 est.)
Industry: 31.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 58.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 6.6% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 10.285 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 4.8% (2024 est.); 4.9% (2023 est.); 4.9% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.8% (2024 est.); 4.9% (2023 est.); 4.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $44.25 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $47.247 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 11.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $91.908 billion (2024 est.); $90.926 billion (2023 est.); $93.822 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, gold, radioactive chemicals, refined copper, copper ore (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $74.246 billion (2024 est.); $72.723 billion (2023 est.); $60.439 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: garments, cars, broadcasting equipment, vehicle bodies, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 27.624 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 106.201 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 2.243 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 3.694 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 9.439 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 87.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 120.279 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 86.349 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 34.043 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 114,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 25.605 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 1.955 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 386,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 30 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 28.769 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 22.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 7.071 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 408.952 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.407 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 269.83 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 175.848 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 50.387 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 43.596 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 172.936 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2.574 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 25.8 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 93% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 3.59 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.); 1% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.); 1% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 132 (2025)

Heliports: 32 (2025)

Railways
Total: 16,636 km (2021)
Broad gauge: 16,636 km (2021) 1.520-m gauge (4,237 km electrified)

Merchant marine
Total: 122 (2023)
By type: general cargo 3, oil tanker 7, other 112