| Country Name |
Republic of Kazakhstan |
|
| Capital |
Astana |
Second-largest city after Almaty |
| Main Cities |
Almaty, Shymkent, Taraz, Aktau, Atyrau, Oral, Kostanai, Aktobe, Petropavl, Karagandy, Pavlodar, Semei, Oskemen, Kyzylorda, Taldykorgan |
|
| Population |
16 million (2009 census). 2013 estimates suggest nearly 17 million |
Population density is low. |
| Area |
1 million sq. miles (2.7 million sq. km) |
Ninth-biggest country in the world |
| Ethnic Makeup |
Kazakhs 63%, Russians 24%, others 13% |
Others include Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Uighurs, Tatars, Belarusians, Germans, Koreans. |
| Border Countries |
Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan |
The country also borders the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked. |
| Climate |
Acutely continental: dry, hot summers, very cold winters, and low precipitation. Milder in the south |
Best times to visit are April–June and September–October. |
| Government |
Presidential republic. Legislature is bicameral. Government is appointed by the President. |
President is elected every five years by popular vote. Constitution allows for two consecutive presidential terms. |
| Literacy |
99% |
Kazakhstanis are entitled to free secondary education. |
| Languages |
Kazakh and Russian |
60% fluent in Kazakh; 85% fluent in Russian |
| Religion |
Islam (70%) and Russian Orthodox Christianity (26%) |
|
| Age Structure |
Under 18, 26.4%; 1863, 63.6%; over 63, 10% |
18–63 is the working age in Kazakhstan for women and men. |
| Unemployment |
Just over 5% |
|
| GDP per capita |
11,400 USD (2011) |
|
| Currency |
Kazakh Tenge (KZT) |
1 US Dollar equals around 150 KZT (2013) |
| Electricity |
220 volts, 50 Hz |
Two-prong plugs |
| Video/TV |
PAL/SECAM |
NTSC not supported |
| Internet Domain |
.kz |
|
| Telephone |
Kazakhstan country code is +7 Astana code is 717 Almaty code is 727 |
To call out dial 8, then 10, and country code. |
| Time Zone |
GMT +6 |
|