2015 Edition

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. 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) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-ethnic Kazakhs to outnumber natives. 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 percent 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; managing Islamic revivalism; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness; developing a multiparty parliament and advancing political and social reform; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers.

Area

land

2,699,700 sq km

total

2,724,900 sq km

water

25,200 sq km

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 extremes

highest point

Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

lowest point

Vpadina Kaundy -132 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

1,304 cu m/yr (2010)

total

21.14 cu km/yr (4%/30%/66%)

Geographic coordinates

48 00 N, 68 00 E

Geography - note

world's largest landlocked country; 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 (2010)

Land boundaries

border countries (5)

China 1,765 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,212 km, Russia 7,644 km, Turkmenistan 413 km, Uzbekistan 2,330 km

total

13,364 km

Land use

arable land 8.9%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 68.5%

agricultural land

77.4%

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

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

Total renewable water resources

107.5 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

25.41% (male 2,294,513/female 2,319,233)

15-24 years

15.33% (male 1,417,344/female 1,366,655)

25-54 years

42.59% (male 3,768,418/female 3,965,188)

55-64 years

9.49% (male 753,011/female 970,569)

65 years and over

7.17% (male 448,857/female 853,334) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

19.15 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

2% (2006 est.)

total number

59,254

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.7% (2011)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

51% (2010/11)

Death rate

8.21 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.1%

potential support ratio

9.9% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.3%

youth dependency ratio

40.1%

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)

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.)

Health expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

7.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

18.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

23.63 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.92 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.46 years (2015 est.)

male

65.3 years

total population

70.55 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.8% (2015 est.)

male

99.8%

total population

99.8%

Major urban areas - population

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

Median age

female

31.1 years (2014 est.)

male

28.4 years

total

29.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Kazakhstani

noun

Kazakhstani(s)

Net migration rate

0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.5% (2014)

Physicians density

3.62 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

18,157,122 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.14% (2015 est.)

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)

female

15 years (2012)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

0.99 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

at birth

0.94 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.31 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

5.1% (2012 est.)

male

2.9%

total

3.9%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.86% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

53.2% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Almaty, Almaty*, Aqmola (Astana), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Bayqongyr [Baykonur]*, Mangghystau (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan [South Kazakhstan] (Shymkent), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan [North Kazakhstan] (Petropavlovsk), 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

geographic coordinates

51 10 N, 71 25 E

name

Astana

note

Kazakhstan has two time zones

time difference

UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

previous 1937, 1978 (preindependence); latest adopted 28 January 1993, approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995; amended 1998, 2007, 2011 (2012)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form

Kazakhstan

former

Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Qazaqstan Respublikasy

local short form

Qazaqstan

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador George KROL (since 18 March 2015)

Consulate(s) General

Almaty

embassy

Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Ave. No 3, Astana 010010

FAX

[7] (7172) 54-09-14

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[7] (7172) 70-21-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Kayrat UMAROV (since 14 January 2013)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 232-5845

telephone

[1] (202) 232-5488

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991)

election results

Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (Nur Otan) 97.8%, other 2.2%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second 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

head of government

Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 2 April 2014); First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan SAGINTAYEV (since 16 January 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Berdibek SAPARBAYEV (since November 2014)

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; blue and yellow are the national colors

Government type

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

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, EAEC, 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, 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; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council - the president of the republic, the Senate chairperson, 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 two-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)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nur Otan 16; Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur-Otan 81%, Ak Zhol 7.5%, Communist People's Party 7.2%, other 4.3%; seats by party - Nur-Otan 83, Ak Zhol 8, Communist People's Party 7

elections

Senate - (indirect) last held in 2014 (next to be held in 2017); Mazhilis - last held on 15 January 2012 (next to be held by November 2016)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV

name

"Menin Qazaqstanim" (My Kazakhstan)

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 Party (Bright Path) [Azat PERUASHEV]

Alga [Vladimir KOZLOV] (unregistered and banned as extremist in November 2012)

Auyl (Village) [Gani KALIYEV]

Azat (Freedom) Party [Bolat ABILOV] (formerly True Ak Zhol Party)

Birlik (Unity) [Seril SULTANGALI] (Birlik is an April 2013 merger of Adilet (Justice; formerly Democratic Party of Kazakhstan) and Rukhaniyat (Spirituality))

NSDP [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]

Communist Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN] (suspended by court decision)

Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]

National Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]

Nur Otan (Fatherland's Ray of Light) [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, Nurlan NIGMATULIN] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with Otan)

Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]

Almaty Helsinki Committee [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, Chairman of Bureau's Council, Roza AKYLBEKOVA, director]

Khalyk Maidany (Peoples' Front) - an informal union between the unregistered Alga Party, the unregistered Communist Party of Kazakhstan, and several opposition-oriented civil society groups, banned in November 2012 [no formal leader]

Pan-National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]

Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]

Republican Network of International Monitors [Daniyar LIVAZOV]

Transparency International [Sergey ZLOTNIKOV]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$45.7 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$42.02 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

5.5% (31 December 2012)

7.5% (31 December 2011)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.9% (31 December 2014 est.)

6.3% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

$3.392 billion (2014 est.)

$1.122 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$163.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$150.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.9 (2011)

31.5 (2003)

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. In 2002 Kazakhstan became the first country in the former Soviet Union to receive an investment-grade credit rating. Extractive industries have been and will continue to be the engine of Kazakhstan's growth, although the country is seriously pursuing diversification strategies. Kazakhstan is landlocked, with restricted access to the high seas. Although its Caspian Sea ports, pipelines, and rail lines carrying oil have been upgraded, civil aviation and roadways continue to need attention. Supply and distribution of electricity can be erratic because of regional dependencies, but the country is moving forward with plans to improve reliability of electricity and gas supply to its population. The government realizes that its economy suffers from an overreliance on oil and extractive industries. Kazakhstan has embarked on an ambitious diversification program, aimed at developing targeted sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing. In 2010 Kazakhstan joined the Belarus-Kazakhstan-Russia Customs Union in an effort to boost foreign investment and improve trade relationships. The Customs Union evolved into the Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015. During 2014, Kazakhstan’s economy was hampered by Russia’s slowing economy, the weakening ruble, falling oil prices, and problems at its Kashagan oil field. Kazakhstan devalued its currency, the tenge, by 19% in February and in November the government announced a stimulus package to cope with the economic challenges.

Exchange rates

tenge (KZT) per US dollar -

179.3 (2014 est.)

152.13 (2013 est.)

149.11 (2012 est.)

146.62 (2011 est.)

147.36 (2010 est.)

Exports

$87.25 billion (2014 est.)

$85.6 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

China 22.7%, France 9.7%, Russia 8%, Germany 7.9%, Italy 6.9%, Ukraine 4.2% (2013)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

40.8%

government consumption

10.5%

household consumption

47.7%

imports of goods and services

-27%

investment in fixed capital

24.3%

investment in inventories

3.7%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

4.9%

industry

29.5%

services

65.6% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$24,000 (2014 est.)

$23,000 (2013 est.)

$21,700 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.3% (2014 est.)

6% (2013 est.)

5% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$212.3 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$418.5 billion (2014 est.)

$401.2 billion (2013 est.)

$378.5 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

27.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

27.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

26.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.7% (2011 est.)

lowest 10%

3.9%

Imports

$47.56 billion (2014 est.)

$50.8 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

China 30.6%, Russia 20.5%, Ukraine 6.8%, Germany 6.2% (2013)

Industrial production growth rate

0.3% (2014 est.)

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)

6.7% (2014 est.)

5.8% (2013 est.)

Labor force

9.103 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

25.8%

industry

11.9%

services

62.3% (2012 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$23.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$43.3 billion (31 December 2011)

$60.74 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

5.3% (2011 est.)

Public debt

12.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

13.8% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$27.55 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$24.68 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$52.89 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$56.49 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$32.12 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$29.12 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$141.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$129.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$88.98 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$89.74 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$20.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$22.9 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.2% (2014 est.)

5.2% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

224.2 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

1.406 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

119,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

1.655 million bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

30 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

76.21 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.809 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

88.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

11.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

2.6 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

18.75 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

90.53 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

10.95 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

11.37 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

10.53 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

11.79 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

258,200 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

149,800 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

94,430 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

288,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; nearly all nationwide TV networks are wholly or partly owned by the government; 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 (2015)

Internet country code

.kz

Internet users

percent of population

59.3% (2014 est.)

total

10.6 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 60, FM 18, shortwave 9 (2008)

Telephone system

domestic

intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is gradually increasing and fixed-line teledensity now roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage has increased rapidly and the subscriber base now exceeds 140 per 100 persons

general assessment

inherited an outdated telecommunications network from the Soviet era requiring modernization

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 (2008)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

24 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

4.34 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

156 (2014 est.)

total

28 million

Television broadcast stations

12 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Airports

96 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

15

2,438 to 3,047 m

25

914 to 1,523 m

5

over 3,047 m

10

total

63

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

13 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

2,438 to 3,047 m

7

914 to 1,523 m

5

over 3,047 m

5

total

33

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned

3 (Austria 1, Ireland 1, Turkey 1) (2010)

total

11

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

broad gauge

14,184 km 1.520-m gauge (4,056 km electrified) (2014)

total

14,184 km

Roadways

paved

87,140 km

total

97,418 km

unpaved

10,278 km (2012)

Waterways

4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River) (2010)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

4,179,051 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

4,163,629

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

3,528,169 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,909,999

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

119,541 (2010 est.)

male

125,322

Military branches

Kazakhstan Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Mobile Forces, Air Defense Forces (2013)

Military expenditures

1.21% of GDP (2012)

0.97% of GDP (2011)

1.21% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 2 years, but Kazakhstan may be transitioning to a contract force; 19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; military cadets in intermediate (ages 15-17) and higher (ages 17-21) education institutes are classified as military service personnel (2012)

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

7,038 (2014)