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| Kazakhstan's tourism industry development | Committee of Investments | Investment Preferences | Economic development of Kazakhstan | Priority Sectors for Investments |
| General information |
KAZAKHSTAN IN BRIEF
Location:
Kazakhstan is roughly the size of Western Europe. Surrounded by Russia,
China, Turkey and the Caucasus, Iran and Afghanistan, Kazakhstan is
located in Central Asia and has been a crossroads of trade and different
civilizations for centuries. Total area: 1,687,443 sq miles (2,729,900
sq km). Land area: 1,657,945 sq miles (2,669,800 sq km)
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Boundaries:
Total 7,459 miles (12,012 km (without the Caspian shoreline). The
Republic of Kazakhstan shares its longest borders with Russia, 4,251
miles (6,846 km) and China, 951 miles (1,533 km), as well as with
Uzbekistan 1,369 miles (2,203 km), Kyrgyzstan 653 miles (1,051 km), and
Turkmenistan 235 miles (379 km). It also borders for 1,183 miles (1,894
km) on the Caspian Sea.
Independence:
Kazakhstan gained independence from the former Soviet Union on December
16, 1991. Republic Day is celebrated on October 25, 1990, i.e. the day
when Kazakhstan passed its Declaration of Sovereignty.
President:
Nursultan Nazarbayev (re-elected for a 7-year term on December 4, 2005).
Parliament:
The Parliament consists of two houses, the Senate (upper house) and the
Majilis (lower house). The Senate has 47 deputies, 40 indirectly elected
by local legislators and seven appointed by the President. Senators
serve six-year terms, with one-half of the Senate facing re-election
every three years. Sixty-seven members of the Majilis are directly
elected for five-year terms from single-member districts, with an
additional ten members from political parties selected on the basis of
proportional representation.
Capital: Astana has been the official capital of Kazakhstan since December 10, 1997.
It is located 1,300 km north of Almaty, Kazakhstan's commercial and
cultural centre and its former capital, and has a population of over
653,000 people.
Population: 15.82 million people
Ethnic Composition: Kazakhstan's ethnic composition is the driving force behind much of the country's political and cultural life. The principal ethnic groups include Kazakhs (53.4%), Russians (30%), Ukrainians (3.7%), Uzbeks and Tatars (2.5% each), Germans (2.4%), Byelorussians (0.7%), Azerbaijanis (0.5%) and others (4.3%). There are more than 120 ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan. The acquisition of independent statehood gave a stimulus to the development of the cultural and historic heritage of all ethnic groups living in the country. This diverse society is based on political stability and inter-ethnic harmony. Ethnic cultural centres have been established in all areas of Kazakhstan to support the ethnic identity of different nationalities. The Assembly of Peoples of Kazakhstan, a unique body in the post-Soviet area representing the interests of all ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan, was established to deal with inter-ethnic policy issues.
Religious Diversity: Kazakhstan's tradition of religious tolerance and diversity is part of its ancient history. Freedom of religion is one of the top priorities guaranteed by the Constitution. In practice, this has contributed to inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony among the established faiths in Kazakhstan, from ethnic Kazakhs, who are predominantly Sunni Muslim (57%), to Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Christians (40%), Roman Catholics, various Protestant denominations and Kazakhstan's long-standing Jewish community, as well as other faiths. In ten years, the number of religious groups has grown 350 percent to nearly 2,300 today - half of which are non-Muslim. These religious communities representing 46 faiths peacefully co-exist in the country.
Language:
Kazakh, spoken by over 52% of the population, is the state language.
Russian, spoken by almost everyone, enjoys equal status under the
Constitution and is a means of inter-ethnic communication in Kazakhstan.
Twenty-three languages of Kazakhstan’s ethnic groups are taught at
schools. Magazines and newspapers are published; TV and radio programmes
are broadcast in 11 national languages.
Economic Progress:
Major economic indicators (2008):
GDP: 105.5 bln. USD
GDP per capita: 6730 USD
Real GDP Growth Rate: 6.6%
Foreign Direct Investments: over 90 bln. USD
Major Exports: oil, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery,
chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal
Major Imports: machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil
and gas, vehicles.
Over the years of independence, Kazakhstan has implemented a series of
broad-based reforms that have transformed it from a planned to a market
economy. The result is a liberal economy with advanced market-based
infrastructure, a stable national currency, the Tenge, and one of the
most progressive financial and economic systems among the post-Soviet
countries.
Kazakhstan undertook a process of de-monopolization, privatization, debt
restructuring, price liberalization, customs reform and tax
restructuring. It established a securities and exchange commission,
liberalized trade, enacted laws on investment, set up a new government
procurement process and reformed the banking and pension systems.
The banking sector has flourished. The financial system has been a
leader in innovation, including the emergence of successful private
pension funds, the establishment of the National Oil Fund to preserve
oil wealth for future generations and a budding mortgage-lending market.
Kazakhstan has a favorable investment climate. The country's economy has
received more than 90 bln. USD of FDI - the highest per capita
indicator in the former Eastern Bloc. First among CIS countries,
Kazakhstan was granted "market economy status" by the EU in
2001 and by the USA in 2002.
Kazakhstan is important to world energy markets because of its
significant oil and natural gas reserves. With sufficient export options,
Kazakhstan can become one of the world's largest oil producers and
exporters in the near future. The country also has the world's largest
reserves of barite, lead, tungsten and uranium; the second largest
reserves of chromites, silver and zinc; the third largest deposits of
manganese; significant deposits of copper, gold and iron ore.
The country is experiencing dynamic growth in domestic production and
development of up-to-date information technologies. The Kazakhstan
Government's top priority is to further development and encourage more
foreign direct investments into industry, agriculture, innovation and
processing sectors. Kazakhstan's strategic aspiration is to become a
modern, diversified economy with a high value-added and high-tech
component, well integrated into the global economy.
Foreign policy:
Political stability, important geopolitical location, steady economic
growth and predictable foreign policy make Kazakhstan a strategically
important and desirable partner on the Eurasian continent.
Kazakhstan has established diplomatic relations with more than 120
countries and is a member of 64 international political and economic
organizations; about 70 foreign diplomatic missions and offices of
international organizations are accredited in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan was among the first countries in the world to unilaterally
dismantle its nuclear arsenal (the fourth largest in the world) and
close the second largest nuclear test site at Semipalatinsk - an
unwanted legacy from the USSR. Today, Kazakhstan continues to set a
model for the global community in its leadership on unilateral
disarmament and non-proliferation.
Kazakhstan has constantly been making efforts to promote regional
economic integration. Astana has taken practical measures through its
cooperation within the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Association, the
Central Asian Economic Association, as well as the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization.
Kazakhstan plays an important role in securing stability in the volatile
region of Central Asia and beyond. It was Kazakhstan that initiated the
Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA),
which unites 17 Asian nations, including Afghanistan, China, India, Iran,
Israel, Pakistan, Russia and others, with the primary goal of
establishing a comprehensive security system in Asia, a system that has
never existed in the past. In June 2002, at the peak of Indo-Pakistani
and Israel-Palestine tensions, the leaders of these countries met in
Almaty for the first ever summit of CICA members.
Kazakhstan condemned the terrorist attacks against the U.S. on September
11 and has been a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led international
coalition against global terrorism. The Republic provides free
overflight rights and a major international airport for U.S. and
coalition aircraft.
Kazakhstan strongly favours a comprehensive and continued international
effort to bring lasting peace and economic and humanitarian
rehabilitation to Afghanistan. It has joined the International
Anti-terrorist Coalition and fully supported its operations in
Afghanistan.
Kazakhstan believes that the UN should play an active and effective role
in the political process and economic rehabilitation in Iraq in close
cooperation with the Governing Council and Coalition Provisional
Authority. Kazakhstan fully cooperates with the international community
in this respect and has sent a fully equipped unit of 30 military
engineers as part of the International Stabilization forces in Iraq.
Political systemKazakhstan is a presidential republic with strong trend to authoritarian regime. The first and only president is Nursultan Nazarbayev. The president also is the commander in chief of the armed forces and may veto legislation that has been passed by the Parliament. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Ministers and serves as Kazakhstan's head of government. There are three deputy prime ministers and 16 ministers in the Cabinet. Karim Massimov has served as the Prime Minister since January 10, 2007. Kazakhstan has a bicameral Parliament, made up of the lower house (the Majilis) and upper house (the Senate). Single mandate districts popularly elect 67 seats in the Majilis; there also are ten members elected by party-list vote rather than by single mandate districts. The Senate has 39 members. Two senators are selected by each of the elected assemblies (Maslikhats) of Kazakhstan's 16 principal administrative divisions (14 provinces, plus the cities of Astana and Almaty). The president appoints the remaining seven senators. Majilis deputies and the government both have the right of legislative initiative, though the government proposes most legislation considered by the Parliament. Elections
Main article: Elections
in Kazakhstan
Elections to the Majilis in September 2004 yielded a lower house dominated by the pro-government Otan Party, headed by President Nazarbayev. Two other parties considered sympathetic to the president, including the agrarian-industrial bloc AIST and the Asar Party, founded by President Nazarbayev's daughter, won most of the remaining seats. Opposition parties, which were officially registered and competed in the elections, won a single seat during elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said fell short of international standards. In 1999, Kazakhstan applied for observer status at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. The official response of the Assembly was that Kazakhstan could apply for full membership, because it is partially located in Europe, but that they would not be granted any status whatsoever at the Council until their democracy and human rights records improved. On December 4, 2005, Nursultan Nazarbayev was reelected in a landslide victory. The electoral commission announced that he had won over 90% of the vote. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) concluded the election did not meet international standards despite some improvements in the administration of the election. Xinhua News Agency reported that observers from the People's Republic of China, responsible in overseeing 25 polling stations in Astana, found that voting in those polls was conducted in a "transparent and fair" manner.[23] On August 17, 2007, elections to the lower house of parliament were held with the ruling Otan Party coalition which united Asar Party, Civil Party of Kazakhstan and Agrarian Party winning every seat with 88% of the vote. None of the opposition parties have reached the benchmark 7% level of the seats. This has led some in the local media to question the competence and charisma of the opposition party leaders. Opposition parties made accusations of serious irregularities in the election.[24][25] Intelligence servicesKazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB) was established on June 13, 1992. It includes the Service of Internal Security, Military Counterintelligence, Border Guard, several Commando units, and Foreign Intelligence (Barlau). The latter is considered as the most important part of KNB. Its director is Major General Adil Shayahmetov. GeographyWith an area of 2.7 million square kilometers (1.05 million sq. mi), Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country and the largest landlocked country in the world. It is equivalent to the size of Western Europe. In the Soviet Union period Kazakhstan lost some of its territory to China - so called Eastern Turkestan - and some to Turkmenistan - so called Karakalpak's region It shares borders of 6,846 kilometers (4,254 mi) with Russia, 2,203 kilometers (1,369 mi) with Uzbekistan, 1,533 kilometers (953 mi) with China, 1,051 kilometers (653 mi) with Kyrgyzstan, and 379 kilometers (235 mi) with Turkmenistan. Major cities include Astana, Almaty, Karagandy, Shymkent, Atyrau and Oskemen. While located primarily in Asia, a small portion of Kazakhstan is also located west of the Urals in Eastern Europe.[26] The terrain extends west to east from the Caspian Sea to the Altay Mountains and north to south from the plains of Western Siberia to the oases and deserts of Central Asia. The Kazakh Steppe (plain), with an area of around 804,500 square kilometres (310,600 sq. mi), occupies one-third of the country and is the world's largest dry steppe region. The steppe is characterized by large areas of grasslands and sandy regions. Important rivers and lakes include: the Aral Sea, Ili River, Irtysh River, Ishim River, Ural River, Syr Darya, Charyn River and gorge, Lake Balkhash and Lake Zaysan. The climate is continental, with warm summers and colder winters. Precipitation varies between arid and semi-arid conditions. The Charyn Canyon is 150–300 metres deep and 80 kilometres long, cutting through the red sandstone plateau and stretching along the Charyn River gorge in northern Tian Shan ("Heavenly Mountains", 200 km east of Almaty) at 43°21′1.16″N 79°4′49.28″E / 43.3503222°N 79.0803556°E / 43.3503222; 79.0803556. The steep canyon slopes, columns and arches rise to heights of 150–300 m. The inaccessibility of the canyon provided a safe haven for a rare ash tree that survived the Ice Age and is now also grown in some other areas. Bigach crater is a Pliocene or Miocene asteroid impact crater, 8 kilometres (5 mi) in diameter and estimated at 5 ±3 million years old at 48°30′N 82°00′E / 48.5°N 82°E / 48.5; 82. Provinces
Main articles: Provinces
of Kazakhstan and Districts
of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is divided into 14 provinces (Kazakh: облыстар, oblıstar). The provinces are subdivided into districts (Kazakh: аудандар, awdandar).
Notes:
Each province is headed by an Akim (provincial governor) appointed by the president. Municipal Akims are appointed by province Akims. The Government of Kazakhstan transferred its capital from Almaty to Astana on December 10, 1997. EducationEducation is universal and mandatory through to the secondary level and the adult literacy rate is 99.5%. Education consists of three main educational phases: primary education (forms 1–4), basic general education (forms 5–9) and senior level education (forms 10–11 or 12) divided into continued general education and professional education. (Primary education is preceded by one year of pre-school education.) These three levels of education can be followed in one institution or in different ones (e.g. primary school, then secondary school). Recently, several secondary schools, specialized schools, magnet schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, linguistic and technical gymnasiums, have been founded. Secondary professional education is offered in special professional or technical schools, lyceums or colleges and vocational schools. At present, there are universities, academies, and institutes, conservatories, higher schools and higher colleges. There are three main levels: basic higher education that provides the fundamentals of the chosen field of study and leads to the award of the Bachelor's degree; specialized higher education after which students are awarded the Specialist's Diploma; and scientific-pedagogical higher education which leads to the Master's Degree. Postgraduate education leads to the Kandidat nauk (Candidate of Sciences) and the Doctor of Sciences. With the adoption of the Laws on Education and on Higher Education, a private sector has been established and several private institutions have been licensed. The Ministry of Education of Kazakhstan runs a highly successful Bolashak scholarship, which is annually awarded to approximately three thousand applicants. The scholarship funds their education in institutions abroad, including the prestigious University College London, Oxford and Ivy League universities. The terms of the program include mandatory return to Kazakhstan for at least five years of employment. Sports
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