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Compare Kazakhstan (2002) - Estonia (2004)

Compare Kazakhstan (2002) z Estonia (2004)

 Kazakhstan (2002)Estonia (2004)
 KazakhstanEstonia
Administrative divisions 14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala, singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (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 (Baykonyr, formerly Leninsk)
15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)


note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Age structure 0-14 years: 26% (male 2,212,985; female 2,141,392)


15-64 years: 66.5% (male 5,393,281; female 5,731,288)


65 years and over: 7.5% (male 434,879; female 827,694) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 16% (male 110,452; female 104,363)


15-64 years: 67.5% (male 431,493; female 474,255)


65 years and over: 16.5% (male 72,819; female 148,282) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; wool, livestock potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Airports 449 (2001) 29 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 28


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 14


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
total: 14


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 421


over 3,047 m: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 18


1,524 to 2,437 m: 45


914 to 1,523 m: 101


under 914 m: 246 (2002)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 6 (2003 est.)
Area total: 2,717,300 sq km


land: 2,669,800 sq km


water: 47,500 sq km
total: 45,226 sq km


land: 43,211 sq km


water: 2,015 sq km


note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Area - comparative slightly less than four times the size of Texas slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Background Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in 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-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers. After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Birth rate 17.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.2 billion


expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $3.806 billion


expenditures: $3.648 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana in December 1998 Tallinn
Climate continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
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) 3,794 km
Constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993 adopted 28 June 1992
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan


conventional short form: Kazakhstan


local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy


local short form: none


former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia


conventional short form: Estonia


local long form: Eesti Vabariik


local short form: Eesti


former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency tenge (KZT) Estonian kroon (EEK)
Death rate 10.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $11.6 billion (2001 est.) $7.002 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Larry C. NAPPER


embassy: 99/97A Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan 480091


mailing address: American Embassy Almaty, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7030


telephone: [7] (3272) 63-39-21, 50-76-23, 50-76-27 (emergency number)


FAX: [7] (3272) 50-62-69
chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOS


embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [372] 668-8100


FAX: [372] 668-8134
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV


chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488


FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845


consulate(s): New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK


chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101


FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international Kazakhstan is working rapidly with China and Russia to delimit its large open borders to control population migration, illegal activities, and trade; signed bilateral agreement with Russia delimiting the Caspian Sea seabed, but littoral states are far from any multilateral agreement on dividing the waters and seabed regimes - Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; border largely delimited with Uzbekistan, but unresolved dispute remains over sovereignty of two border villages, Bagys and Turkestan, and around the Arnasay dam; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan wrestle with sharing limited water resources and the regional environmental degradation caused by the shrinking of the Aral Sea; disputes with Kyrgyzstan over providing water and hydropower to Kazakhstan Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia
Economic aid - recipient $610 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 $108 million (2000)
Economy - overview Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer. Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources and also on a growing machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a short-term contraction of the economy, 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. Kazakhstan has enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raises export capacity. Astana has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing light industry. Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors. Estonia has been invited to join the European Union and will do so in May 2004. The economy is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, Russia, and Germany, four major trading partners. The high current account deficit remains a concern. However, the state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 48.336 billion kWh (2000) 6.192 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 50 million kWh (2000) 1.19 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 3.102 billion kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 48.692 billion kWh (2000) 7.937 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 86%


hydro: 14%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m


highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Environment - current issues radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges throughout the country 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 poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Uighur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census) Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)
Exchange rates tenge per US dollar - 151.14 (January 2002), 146.74 (2001), 142.13 (2000), 119.52 (1999), 78.30 (1998), 75.44 (1997) krooni per US dollar - 13.8564 (2003), 16.6118 (2002), 17.4781 (2001), 16.9686 (2000), 14.6776 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991)


head of government: Prime Minister Imangali TASMAGAMBETOV (since 28 January 2002)


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 was 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 reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%


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
chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10 April 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament


elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament


election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots were either left blank or invalid
Exports $10.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities oil and oil products 52.8%, ferrous metals 12.9%, machinery, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal (2000) machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)
Exports - partners Russia 19.5%, China 7.3%, Germany 6.2% (2000) Finland 21.9%, Sweden 12.5%, Russia 11.4%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.4%, Lithuania 4% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 gold pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
GDP purchasing power parity - $98.1 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $17.35 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 10%


industry: 30%


services: 60% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 4.9%


industry: 30.3%


services: 64.8% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $12,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 12.2% (2001 est.) 4.7% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 48 00 N, 68 00 E 59 00 N, 26 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
Highways total: 189,000 km


paved: 108,100 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads)


unpaved: 80,900 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)
total: 51,411 km


paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways)


unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 27% (2001)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)
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 transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds
Imports $8.2 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and parts 29.5%, energy and fuels 11.3%, electrical equipment 8.8%, vehicles 8.7%, ferrous metals 6.4% (2000) machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)
Imports - partners Russia 48.7%, Germany 6.6%, US 5.5% (2000) Finland 15.9%, Germany 11.1%, Russia 10.2%, Sweden 7.7%, Ukraine 4.3%, China 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2003)
Independence 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union) 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 11.4% (2001 est.) 5% (2000 est.)
Industries oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; information technology, telecommunications
Infant mortality rate 58.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 8.5% (2001 est.) 1.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 10 (with their own international channels) (2001) -
Irrigated land 23,320 sq km (1998 est.) 40 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members) National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Labor force 8.4 million (1999) 654,000 (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (2001 est.) agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 12,012 km


border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
total: 633 km


border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Land use arable land: 11.23%


permanent crops: 0.05%


other: 88.72% (1998 est.)
arable land: 16.04%


permanent crops: 0.45%


other: 83.51% (2001)
Languages Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.) Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other
Legal system based on civil law system based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats - previously 47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected, two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms) and the Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis members are elected from the winning party's lists; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005); Majilis - last held 10 and 24 October and 26 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: note - the election results are for the old Senate structure; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 16 seats up for election in 1999, candidates nominated by local councils; Majilis - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Otan 23, Civic Party 13, Communist Party 3, Agrarian Party 3, People's Cooperative Party 1, independents 34; note - most independent candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises and other pro-government institutions
unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party Moodukad 6
Life expectancy at birth total population: 63.38 years


male: 58.02 years


female: 69.01 years (2002 est.)
total population: 71.38 years


male: 65.78 years


female: 77.33 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.4%


male: 99.1%


female: 97.7% (1999 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.8%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Location Central Asia, northwest of China Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Map references Asia Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,064 GRT/646 DWT


ships by type: roll on/roll off 1


note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United States 1 (2002 est.)
total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWT


by type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 4, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger 5


foreign-owned: Netherlands 1


registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)
Military branches Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Border Service, Republican Guard Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard


note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime
Military expenditures - dollar figure $173 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY01) $155 million (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY01) 2% (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 4,545,168 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 326,803 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 3,629,219 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 257,386 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 163,628 (2002 est.) males: 10,884 (2004 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 25 October (1990) Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 is the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality noun: Kazakhstani(s)


adjective: Kazakhstani
noun: Estonian(s)


adjective: Estonian
Natural hazards earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Natural resources major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
Net migration rate -6.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 2,850 km; refined products 1,500 km; natural gas 3,480 km (1992) gas 859 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Alash [Sabet-Kazy AKATAY]; AZAMAT "Citizen" Movement [Petr SVOIK, Murat AUEZOV, and Galym ABILSEITOV, cochairmen]; Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, first secretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Forum of Democratic Forces [a union of opposition parties, movements, and NGOs which includes Communists, RNPK, Orleu "Development" Movement, Pokoleniye "Generation" Pensioners' Movement, Labor Movement, Association of Independent Mass Media of Central Asia, and the Tabighat "Nature" Ecological Movement]; Labor and Worker's Movement [Madel ISMAILOV, chairman]; Orleu "Development" Movement [Seidakhmet KUTTYKADAM]; Otan "Fatherland" [Sergei TERESCHENKO, chairman]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; People's Congress of Kazakhstan of NKK [Olzhas SULEIMENOV, chairman]; People's Cooperative Party of Kazakhstan [Umirzak SARSENOV]; Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan or RNPK [Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN]; Socialist Party [Petr SVOIK]; United Democratic Party (a new party not yet registered) [leader NA] Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; Social Liberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former Center Party members) [Peeter Kreitzberg]
Political pressure groups and leaders Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan [Galymzhan ZHAKIYANOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Nurzhan SUBKHANBERDIN, Mukhtar ABLYAZOV, Zhanat YERTLESOVA, Bulat ABILOV, cofounders]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director] NA
Population 16,741,519 (July 2002 est.) 1,341,664 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 26% (2001 est.) NA (2000)
Population growth rate 0.1% (2002 est.) -0.66% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk) Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Radio broadcast stations AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998) AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios 6.47 million (1997) -
Railways total: 13,601 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines


broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2001)
total: 958 km


broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified)


note: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2003)
Religions Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7% Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female


total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female


total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Telephone system general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated


domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile 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; with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September 2000


domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services is available throughout the country


international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Telephones - main lines in use 1.92 million (2001) 475,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 400,000 (2001) 881,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998) 3 (2001)
Terrain extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Total fertility rate 2.12 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 10% (2001 est.) 10.1% (2003)
Waterways 3,900 km


note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers
500 km (2003)
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