2018 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. 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. Astana successfully hosted an internationally recognized exposition in 2017. The three-month Expo 2017, themed Future Energy, was the first such exhibition by a former Soviet country.

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

elevation extremes

-132 m lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy

mean elevation

387 m

note

6995 highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri)

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; desertification; 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

border countries (5)

China 1765 km, Kyrgyzstan 1212 km, Russia 7644 km, Turkmenistan 413 km, Uzbekistan 2330 km

total

13,364 km

Land Use

arable land: 8.9% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 68.5% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

77.4% (2011 est.)

forest

1.2% (2011 est.)

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

note

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

26.09% (male 2,406,397 /female 2,483,562)

15-24 years

13.55% (male 1,295,882 /female 1,244,540)

25-54 years

42.32% (male 3,884,454 /female 4,049,072)

55-64 years

10.14% (male 831,872 /female 1,068,651)

65 years and over

7.9% (male 517,471 /female 962,647) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

17.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

2% (2015)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

55.7% (2015)

Death Rate

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.2 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

9.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.4 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

40.3 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 99.4% of population

rural: 85.6% of population

total: 92.9% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.6% of population

rural: 14.4% of population

total: 7.1% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

3% of GDP (2016)

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

4.4% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.2% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<1000 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

27,000 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

6.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

16.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

19 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

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

female

76.3 years (2018 est.)

male

66.2 years (2018 est.)

total population

71.4 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

99.8% (2015 est.)

male

99.8% (2015 est.)

total population

99.8% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.829 million Almaty, 1.068 million ASTANA (capital), 982,000 Shimkent (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

32.2 years (2018 est.)

male

29.7 years

total

30.9 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

25 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Kazakhstani

noun

Kazakhstani(s)

Net Migration Rate

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

21% (2016)

Physicians Density

3.27 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

18,744,548 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.98% (2018 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

improved: urban: 97% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 98.1% of population (2015 est.)

total: 97.5% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 3% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)

total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

15 years (2016)

male

15 years (2016)

total

15 years (2016)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.78 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.53 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

0.93 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.22 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

4.3% (2013 est.)

male

3.6% (2013 est.)

total

3.9% (2013 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.29% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

57.4% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

14 provinces (oblyslar, singular - oblys) and 4 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Almaty (Taldyqorghan), Almaty*, Aqmola (Kokshetau), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Bayqongyr*, Mangghystau (Aqtau), Turkistan, Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Shymkent*, 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

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)

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

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic, on the recommendation of Parliament, or by the government; the president has the option of submitting draft amendments to Parliament or directly to a referendum; passage of amendments by Parliament requires four-fifths 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)

history

previous 1937, 1978 (preindependence), 1993; latest approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995 (2017)

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form

Kazakhstan

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"

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 Erzhar KAZYKHANOV (since 24 April 2017)

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 consecutive term); election last held on 26 April 2015 (next scheduled for 2020); prime minister and deputy prime ministers 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 Bakytzhan SAGINTAYEV (since 9 September 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Askar MAMIN (since 13 September 2016)

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

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of 44 members); Constitutional Council (consists of the chairman and 6 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 2 members for a 6-year term; chairman of the Constitutional Council appointed by the president 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: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) 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; composition - men 42, women 5, percent of women 10.6% 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; composition - men 78, women 29, percent of women 27.1%; note - total Parliament percent of women 22.1%

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)

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 (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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

38.3 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

35.48 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

11% (10 April 2017)

12% (9 January 2017)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

14.17% (31 December 2017 est.)

15.34% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$5.353 billion (2017 est.)

-$8.874 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$167.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$163.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

26.3 (2013)

31.5 (2003)

Economy Overview

Kazakhstan's vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves form the backbone of its economy. Geographically the largest of the former Soviet republics, excluding Russia, Kazakhstan, g 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. It also adopted a Subsoil Code in December 2017 with the aim of increasing exploration and investment in the hydrocarbon, and particularly mining, sectors.Kazakhstan's oil production and potential is expanding rapidly. A $36.8 billion expansion of Kazakhstan’s premiere Tengiz oil field by Chevron-led Tengizchevroil should be complete in 2022. 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’s total oil production in 2017 climbed 10.5%.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. Supported by rising commodity prices, Kazakhstan’s exports to EAEU countries increased 30.2% in 2017. Imports from EAEU countries grew by 24.1%.The economic downturn of its EAEU partner, Russia, and the decline in global commodity prices from 2014 to 2016 contributed to an economic slowdown in Kazakhstan. 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. While growth slowed to about 1% in both 2015 and 2016, a moderate recovery in oil prices, relatively stable inflation and foreign exchange rates, and the start of production at Kashagan helped push 2017 GDP growth to 4%.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 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, turned 77 in 2017.

Exchange Rates

tenge (KZT) per US dollar -

326.3 (2017 est.)

342.13 (2016 est.)

342.13 (2015 est.)

221.73 (2014 est.)

179.19 (2013 est.)

Exports

$49.29 billion (2017 est.)

$37.26 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Italy 17.9%, China 11.9%, Netherlands 9.8%, Russia 9.3%, Switzerland 6.4%, France 5.9% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

35.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

11.1% (2017 est.)

household consumption

53.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-27.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

4.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

4.7% (2017 est.)

industry

34.1% (2017 est.)

services

61.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$159.4 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$26,300 (2017 est.)

$25,700 (2016 est.)

$25,800 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$478.6 billion (2017 est.)

$460.3 billion (2016 est.)

$455.3 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

4% (2017 est.)

1.1% (2016 est.)

1.2% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

23.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

21.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

25.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

23.3% (2016)

lowest 10%

23.3% (2016)

Imports

$31.85 billion (2017 est.)

$28.07 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs

Imports Partners

Russia 38.9%, China 16.1%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.3% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

5.8% (2017 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

7.4% (2017 est.)

14.6% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

8.97 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

18.1%

industry

20.4%

services

61.6% (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$741.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$4.737 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$26.23 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

2.6% (2016 est.)

Public Debt

20.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

19.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$30.75 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$29.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$14.99 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$13.77 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$35.04 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$32.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$161.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$143.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$54.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$55.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$14.99 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$13.77 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

22.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

5% (2017 est.)

5% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

304.6 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

1.409 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

1,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

1.777 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

30 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

94.23 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

5.1 billion kWh (2017 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

1.318 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

20.15 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

100.8 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

15.37 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

12.8 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

5.748 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

22.41 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

274,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

105,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

39,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

290,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2017 est.)

total

2,573,500 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

the state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; there are 96 TV channels, many of which are owned by the government, and 4 state-run radio stations; 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 some 99% of the population as well as neighboring countries (2018)

Internet Country Code

.kz

Internet Users

percent of population

76.8% (July 2016 est.)

total

14,100,751 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage increased rapidly and the subscriber base approaches 143 per 100 persons (2017)

general assessment

one of the most progressive telecoms sectors in Central Asia; vast 4G network; low fixed-line and fixed-broadband penetration, moderate mobile broadband penetration and high mobile penetration (2017)

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

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

3,697,300 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

143 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

26.473 million (2017 est.)

Airports

96 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

15 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

25 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

5 (2017)

over 3,047 m

10 (2017)

total

63 (2017)

under 914 m

8 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

7 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

5 (2013)

over 3,047 m

5 (2013)

total

33 (2013)

under 914 m

13 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

UP (2016)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

general cargo 4, oil tanker 10, other 105 (2017)

total

119 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

37,669,008 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

5,081,631 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

71 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

10 (2015)

Pipelines

658 km condensate, 15256 km gas, 11313 km oil, 1095 km refined products, 1975 km water (2016)

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

16,104 km 1.520-m gauge (4,200 km electrified) (2016)

total

16,104 km (2016)

Roadways

paved

87,140 km (2012)

total

97,418 km (2012)

unpaved

10,278 km (2012)

Waterways

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

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)

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)

Disputes International

Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstanfield demarcation of the boundaries commenced with Uzbekistan in 2004 and with Turkmenistan in 2005ongoing demarcation with Russia began in 2007demarcation with China was completed in 2002creation of a seabed boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains under discussionAzerbaijan, 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

8,138 (2017)