Kazakhstan: Sovereign state in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Kazakhstan is a landlocked country in the middle of Eurasia.
Its official name is the Republic of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the ninth biggest country in the world, and it is also the biggest landlocked country in the world. Before the end of the Soviet Union, it was called "Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic". The president of the country from 1991 through March 2019 was Nursultan Nazarbayev. Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan. Almaty was the capital until 1998, when it moved to Astana.
Republic of Kazakhstan | |
|---|---|
 Emblem | |
| Anthem: Менің Қазақстаным Menıñ Qazaqstanym "My Kazakhstan" | |
.svg) Location of Kazakhstan (green) | |
| Capital | Astana 51°10′N 71°26′E / 51.167°N 71.433°E |
| Largest city | Almaty |
| Official languages | |
| Common languages | |
| Official scripts | |
| Ethnic groups (2018) | |
| Religion |
|
| Demonym(s) | Kazakhstani |
| Government | Unitary presidential constitutional republic |
| Kassym-Jomart Tokayev | |
| Oljas Bektenov | |
| Maulen Ashimbayev | |
| Nurlan Nigmatulin | |
| Legislature | Parliament |
| Senate | |
| Mazhilis | |
| Formation | |
• Kazakh Khanate | 1465 |
| 13 December 1917 | |
• Kirghiz ASSR | 26 August 1920 |
• Kazakh ASSR | 19 June 1925 |
| 5 December 1936 | |
• Declared Sovereignty | 25 October 1990 |
• Reconstituted as the Republic of Kazakhstan | 10 December 1991 |
• Declared Independence from the USSR | 16 December 1991 |
• CIS Accession | 21 December 1991 |
| 26 December 1991 | |
• Admitted to the United Nations | 2 March 1992 |
• Current constitution | 30 August 1995 |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,724,900 km2 (1,052,100 sq mi) (9th) |
• Water (%) | 1.7 |
| Population | |
• 2019 estimate |  18,448,600 (63rd) |
• Density | 7/km2 (18.1/sq mi) (236th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2019 estimate |
• Total |  $534.271 billion (41st) |
• Per capita | $28,514 (53rd) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2019 estimate |
• Total |  $164.207 billion (54th) |
• Per capita | $8,763 (71st) |
| Gini (2017) |  27.5low |
| HDI (2017) | 0.800 very high · 58th |
| Currency | Tenge (₸) (KZT) |
| Time zone | UTC+5 / +6 (West / East) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +7-6xx, +7-7xx |
| ISO 3166 code | KZ |
| Internet TLD |
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The Kazakh language, which is a Turkic language, is the native language, but Russian has equal official status for all administrative and institutional purposes. Islam is the largest religion- about 70% of the population are Muslims, with Christianity practiced by 26%; Russia leases (rents) the land for the Baikonur Cosmodrome (site of Russian spacecraft launches) from Kazakhstan.
Geography
Kazakhstan is a transcontinental country mostly in Asia with a small western part across the Ural River in Europe. It has borders with the Russian Federation in the north and west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the southwest, and China in the far east. The northern border is mostly with Siberia, Russia, so Russia has the longest border with Kazakhstan. Basically, Kazakhstan runs from the Caspian Sea in the west to the mainly Muslim Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang. Kazakhstan has no ocean shoreline, but borders the Caspian Sea, which boats use to get to neighboring countries. The Caspian Sea is an Endorheic basin without connections to any ocean.
Natural resources
Kazakhstan has plenty of petroleum, natural gas, and mining. It attracted over $40 billion in foreign investment since 1993 and accounts for some 57% of the nation's industrial output. According to some estimates, Kazakhstan has the second largest uranium, chromium, lead, and zinc reserves, the third largest manganese reserves, the fifth largest copper reserves, and ranks in the top ten for coal, iron, and gold. It is also an exporter of diamonds. Kazakhstan has the 11th largest proven reserves of both petroleum and natural gas.
Regions
Kazakhstan is divided into 17 regions. They are divided into districts.
Almaty and Astana cities have the status of State importance and are not in any region. Baikonur city has a special status because it is leased to Russia for Baikonur cosmodrome until 2050.
Each province is headed by an Akim (provincial governor) appointed by the president. Municipal Akims are appointed by province Akims. The Government of Kazakhstan moved its capital from Almaty to Astana on December 10, 1997.
| Coat of arms | Full English name | Type | Capital | Full Kazakh name | Full Russian name | Standard time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abai Region | region | Semey | Абай облысы Abai oblysy | Абайская область Abaiskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 | |
.png) | Akmola Region | region | Kokshetau | Ақмола облысы Aqmola oblysy | Акмолинская область Akmolinskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Aktobe Region | region | Aktobe | Ақтөбе облысы Aqtöbe oblysy | Актюбинская область Aktyubinskaya Oblast′ | UTC+05:00 |
 | Almaty | city | Алматы қаласы Almaty qalasy | город Алматы gorod Almaty | UTC+06:00 | |
 | Almaty Region | region | Qonaev | Алматы облысы Almaty oblysy | Алматинская область Almatinskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
.svg) | Astana | city | Астана қаласы Astana qalasy | город Астана gorod Astana | UTC+06:00 | |
 | Atyrau Region | Atyrau | Атырау облысы Atyrau oblysy | Атырауская область Atyrauskaya Oblast′ | UTC+05:00 | |
 | Baikonur | city | Байқоңыр қаласы Baiqoñyr qalasy | город Байконур gorod Baykonur | UTC+05:00 | |
 | East Kazakhstan Region | region | Oskemen | Шығыс Қазақстан облысы Şyğys Qazaqstan oblysy | Восточно-Казахстанская область Vostochno-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Jambyl Region | region | Taraz | Жамбыл облысы Jambyl oblysy | Жамбылская область Zhambylskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Jetisu Region | region | Taldykorgan | Жетісу облысы Jetısu oblysy | Жетысуская область Zhetysuskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Karaganda Region | region | Karaganda | Қарағанды облысы Qarağandy oblysy | Карагандинская область Karagandinskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Kostanay Region | region | Kostanay | Қостанай облысы Qostanai oblysy | Костанайская область Kostanayskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Kyzylorda Region | region | Kyzylorda | Қызылорда облысы Qyzylorda oblysy | Кызылординская область Kyzylordinskaya Oblast′ | UTC+05:00 |
 | Mangystau Region | region | Aktau | Маңғыстау облысы Mañğystau oblysy | Мангыстауская область Mangystauskaya Oblast′ | UTC+05:00 |
 | North Kazakhstan Region | region | Petropavl | Солтүстік Қазақстан облысы Soltüstık Qazaqstan oblysy | Северо-Казахстанская область Severo-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Pavlodar Region | region | Pavlodar | Павлодар облысы Pavlodar oblysy | Павлодарская область Pavlodarskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Shymkent | city | Шымкент қаласы Şymkent qalasy | город Шымкент gorod Shymkent | UTC+06:00 | |
 | Turkistan Region (formerly South Kazakhstan) | region | Turkistan | Түркістан облысы Türkıstan oblysy | Туркестанская область Turkestanskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | Ulytau Region | region | Jezkazgan | Ұлытау облысы Ūlytau oblysy | Улытауская область Ulytauskaya Oblast′ | UTC+06:00 |
 | West Kazakhstan Region | region | Oral | Батыс Қазақстан облысы Batys Qazaqstan oblysy | Западно-Казахстанская область Zapadno-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast′ | UTC+05:00 |
Population
The population of Kazakhstan is 17,165,000. It takes the 62th place in the List of countries by population. Average density is one of the lowest on earth with almost 6 people/km2 ( List of countries by population density).
Related pages
References
Notes
Other websites
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