Kazakhstan

total: 3.59 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)

the state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; there are 96 TV channels, and 4 state-run radio stations; some former state-owned media outlets have been privatized; households with satellite dishes have access to foreign media; small number of commercial radio stations; all media outlets have to register with the government (2018)

.kz

percent of population: 93% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 2.574 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 26.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2024 est.)

wheat, milk, barley, potatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes/melons, sunflower seeds, maize, onions, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on food: 50.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

revenues: $44.25 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $47.247 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

-$3.702 billion (2024 est.) -$9.448 billion (2023 est.) $6.436 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$25.765 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

upper-middle-income Central Asian economy; robust growth due to rising oil production, expansion in manufacturing and services, rising domestic demand, and infrastructure investments; however, rapid growth contributing to high inflation rate; declining unemployment and poverty rates

tenge (KZT) per US dollar - 468.962 (2024 est.) 456.165 (2023 est.) 460.165 (2022 est.) 425.908 (2021 est.) 412.953 (2020 est.)

$91.908 billion (2024 est.) $90.926 billion (2023 est.) $93.822 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, gold, radioactive chemicals, refined copper, copper ore (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 16%, UK 15%, Russia 10%, Turkey 6%, Italy 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$288.406 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 51.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 11.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.5% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 34.5% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -27.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 3.9% (2024 est.) industry: 31.4% (2024 est.) services: 58.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

29.2 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 4.3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$74.246 billion (2024 est.) $72.723 billion (2023 est.) $60.439 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

garments, cars, broadcasting equipment, vehicle bodies, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 28%, Russia 24%, Gambia, The 4%, Turkey 4%, USA 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

6.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

8.8% (2024 est.) 14.7% (2023 est.) 15% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

10.285 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

5.2% (2023 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

20.9% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$739.385 billion (2024 est.) $705.52 billion (2023 est.) $671.285 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.8% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$35,900 (2024 est.) $34,700 (2023 est.) $33,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$45.808 billion (2024 est.) $35.965 billion (2023 est.) $35.076 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

11.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

4.8% (2024 est.) 4.9% (2023 est.) 4.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 3.8% (2024 est.) male: 3% (2024 est.) female: 4.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

production: 120.279 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 86.349 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 34.043 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 114,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 25.605 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity: 27.624 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 106.201 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 2.243 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.694 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 9.439 billion kWh (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels: 87.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

172.936 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

production: 28.769 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 22.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 7.071 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 408.952 million cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.407 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1 (2025)

total petroleum production: 1.955 million bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 386,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 30 billion barrels (2021 est.)

269.83 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 175.848 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 50.387 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 43.596 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

radioactive or toxic chemical sites from former defense industries; severe industrial pollution in some cities; air and soil pollution (including dust storms) from chemical pesticides and natural salts left after two rivers were diverted; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals; salination from infrastructure and irrigation practices; water pollution; desertification

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

agricultural land: 79.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 11% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.3% (2023 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 19.3% (2023 est.)

energy: 1,903.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 781.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 184.1 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 17.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

38.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

108.41 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal: 4.877 billion cubic meters (2022) industrial: 5.995 billion cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 14.264 billion cubic meters (2022)

urban population: 58.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.66 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3.8% (2022 est.)

total : 2,724,900 sq km land: 2,699,700 sq km water: 25,200 sq km

slightly less than four times the size of Texas

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

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)

highest point: Pik Khan-Tengri 7,010 m note - the northern most 7,000 meter peak in the World lowest point: Qauyndy Oyysy -132 m mean elevation: 387 m

48 00 N, 68 00 E

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 (2,317 sq mi) of territory enclosing the Baikonur Cosmodrome

17,794 sq km (2022)

total: 13,364 km border countries (5): China 1,765 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,212 km; Russia 7,644 km; Turkmenistan 413 km; Uzbekistan 2,330 km

agricultural land: 79.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 11% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 68.3% (2023 est.) forest: 1.3% (2023 est.) other: 19.3% (2023 est.)

Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Oral) River in easternmost Europe

fresh water lake(s): Ozero Balkhash - 22,000 sq km; Ozero Zaysan - 1,800 sq km salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Russia) - 374,000 sq km; Aral Sea (north) - 3,300 sq km; Ozero Alakol - 2,650 sq km; Ozero Teniz 1,590 sq km; Ozero Seletytenzi - 780 sq km; Ozero Sasykkol - 740 sq km

Syr Darya river mouth (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan) - 3,078 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km)

Asia

none (landlocked)

earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

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

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

17 provinces ( oblystar , singular - oblys ) and 4 cities* ( qalalar , singular - qala ); Abay (Semey), Almaty (Qonaev), Almaty*, Aqmola (Kokshetau), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Bayqongyr*, Mangghystau (Aqtau), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Shymkent*, Soltustik Qazaqstan [North Kazakhstan] (Petropavl), Turkistan, Ulytau (Zhezqazghan), Zhambyl (Taraz), Zhetisu (Taldyqorghan) note 1: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses note 2: in 1995, the Kazakh and Russian governments agreed that Russia would lease for 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq mi) around the Baikonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baikonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, the lease was extended to 2050

name: Astana geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: On 1 March 2024, Kazakhstan moved from using two time zones to one etymology: the name means "capital city" in Kazakh note: founded in 1830 as Akmoly, the capital city became Akmolinsk in 1832, Tselinograd in 1961, Akmola (Aqmola) in 1992, Astana in 1998, and Nur-Sultan in 2019; the latest name change back to Astana in 2022 occurred just three and a half years after the city was renamed to honor a former president, who subsequently fell out of favor

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

history: previous 1937, 1978 (pre-independence), 1993; latest approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995 amendment process: introduced by a referendum initiated 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

conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Kazakhstan local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: Qazaqstan former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name may derive from the Turkic word kazak, meaning "nomad;" the Persian suffix - stan means "place of" or "country"

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Julie STUFFT; Charg d'Affaires Deborah ROBINSON (since January 2025) embassy: Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Avenue, No. 3, Astana 010010 mailing address: 2230 Astana Place, Washington DC 20521-2230 telephone: [7] (7172) 70-21-00 FAX: [7] (7172) 54-09-14 email address and website: USAKZ@state.gov https://kz.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Almaty

chief of mission: Ambassador Magzhan ILYASSOV (since 16 December 2025) chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845 email address and website: washington@mfa.kz https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-washington?lang=en consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

chief of state: President Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (since 20 March 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Olzhas BEKTENOV (since 6 February 2024) cabinet: the president appoints ministers based on the prime minister's recommendations; the president has veto power over all appointments and independently appoints the ministers of defense, internal affairs, and foreign affairs election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a single 7-year term (prior to September 2022, the president of Kazakhstan could serve up to two 5-year terms; legislation reduced it to one 7-year term); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Mazhilis most recent election date: 20 November 2022 election results: 2024: Olzhas BEKTENOV elected as prime minister; 69-0 in parliament 2022 : Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Kassym-Jomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 81.3%, Zhiguli DAYRABAEV (Auyl) 3.4%, Qaraqat or Karakat BDEN (K QŪA) 2.6%, Meyram KAZHYKEN (Amanat) 2.5%, Nurlan AUYESBAYEV (NSDP) 2.2%, Saltanat TURSYNBEKOVA (QA-DJ) 2.1%, other 5.8% 2019 : Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV elected president; percent of vote - Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (Amanat) 71%, Amirzhan KOSANOV (Ult Tagdyry) 16.2%, Daniya YESPAYEVA (Ak Zhol) 5.1%, other 7.7% expected date of next election: 2029

description: a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle, both centered on a sky-blue background; the left side displays a national pattern called koshkar-muiz (the horns of the ram) in gold meaning: the blue color has religious significance for the Turkic peoples and symbolizes cultural and ethnic unity, as well as sky and water; the sun stands for wealth and plenitude, with rays shaped like grain; the eagle has appeared on Kazakh tribal flags for centuries and represents freedom, power, and the flight to the future

presidential republic

16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of 44 members); Constitutional Council (consists of the chairperson 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 Mazhilis chairperson each appoints 2 members for a 6-year term; chairperson of the Constitutional Council appointed by the president for a 6-year term subordinate courts: regional and local courts

civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and by the theory and practice of the Russian Federation

legislature name: Parliament (Parlament) legislative structure: bicameral

chamber name: House of Representatives (Mazhilis) number of seats: 98 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/19/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Amanat party (62); Auyl party (8); Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (6); Respublica (6); People's Party of Kazakhstan (5); Independents (7); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 18.4% expected date of next election: March 2028

chamber name: Senate number of seats: 50 (40 indirectly elected; 10 appointed) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 1/14/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 20% expected date of next election: January 2026

title: "Menin Qazaqstanim" (My Kazakhstan) lyrics/music: Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV history: adopted 2006; President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV played a role in revising the lyrics

winning design from a competition held in 1992; the design uses the national colors of yellow and blue, with blue standing for the hope for unity, peace, and friendship with all people and gold for a clear future for the country s population; a shanyrak (the upper dome-like portion of a yurt) represents familial well-being, peace, and calmness, with the circular shape standing for life and eternity; the winged horses, or tulpars , protect the shanyrak and symbolize bravery, prosperity, and inspiration

blue, yellow

total World Heritage Sites: 6 (3 cultural, 3 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (c); Petroglyphs at Tanbaly (c); Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan (n); Silk Roads: the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c); Western Tien-Shan (n); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n)

Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

golden eagle

Ak Zhol Democratic Party or Ak Zhol Amanat formerly Nur Otan Auyl People's Democratic Patriotic Party or Auyl Green Party of Kazakhstan orBaytaq Nationwide Social Democratic Party or NSDP People's Party of Kazakhstan or PPK Respublica

18 years of age; universal

Ethnic Kazakhs derive from a mix of Turkic nomadic tribes that migrated to the region in the 15th century. The Russian Empire conquered the Kazakh steppe in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1925. Forced agricultural collectivization led to repression and starvation, resulting in more than a million deaths in the early 1930s. During the 1950s and 1960s, the agricultural "Virgin Lands" program generated an influx of settlers -- mostly ethnic Russians, but also other nationalities -- and by the time of Kazakhstan s independence in 1991, ethnic Kazakhs were a minority. However, 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 (from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang region of China) to Kazakhstan. As a result of this shift, the ethnic Kazakh share of the population now exceeds two-thirds. Kazakhstan's economy is the largest in Central Asia, mainly due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include diversifying the economy, attracting foreign direct investment, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening economic relations with neighboring states and foreign powers.

the military s principal responsibilities are territorial defense while the National Police, National Guard, Committee for National Security, and Border Service have primary responsibility for internal security, although the military may provide assistance if required; the military also participates in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, as well as regional exercises; in recent years, Kazakhstan has placed greater emphasis on regional military partnerships and equipment modernization and diversification in order to reduce reliance on Russia, its traditional security partner; other efforts to enhance the country s security sector have included boosting the capabilities of the National Guard and improving military professionalism Kazakhstan has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and has obligated troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force; it also has had a relationship with NATO since 1992 focused on democratic, institutional, and defense reforms (2025)

Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan: Land Forces (Army of Kazakhstan), Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Police, National Guard Committee for National Security (KNB): Border Guard Service (2025) note: the National Guard is a gendarmerie type force administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but also serves the Ministry of Defense; it is responsible for fighting crime, maintaining public order, and ensuring public safety; other duties include anti-terrorism operations, guarding prisons, riot control, and territorial defense in time of war

available information varies widely; estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 30,000 National Guard (2025)

the Kazakh military's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, it has sought to diversify to suppliers such as China, France, Israel, South Korea, and T rkiye; Kazakhstan has a defense industry capable of assembling or producing such items as naval vessels, combat vehicles, helicopters, and radar systems (2025)

0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

men 18-27 are subject to conscription for 12-24 months; conscripts may be assigned to the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Border Service, the State Security Service, or the Ministry of Emergency Situations; women may volunteer (2025)

0-14 years: 27.6% (male 2,883,200/female 2,712,772) 15-64 years: 62.8% (male 6,233,881/female 6,486,019) 65 years and over: 9.6% (2024 est.) (male 700,091/female 1,244,043)

total: 3.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

16.83 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

women married by age 15: 0.2% (2015) women married by age 18: 7% (2015)

63.8% (2021 est.)

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio: 59.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 43.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 15.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.)

urban: 98% of population (2022 est.) urban: 2% of population (2022 est.)

4.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 22% national budget (2024 est.)

Kazakh 71%, Russian 14.9%, Uzbek 3.3%, Ukrainian 1.9%, Uyghurs 1.5%, German 1.1%, Tatar 1.1%, other 4.9%, unspecified 0.3% (2023 est.)

1.24 (2025 est.)

3.9% of GDP (2021) 10.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

6.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7 deaths/1,000 live births

Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 80.1%, Russian 83.7%, English 35.1% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Әлемдік деректер кітабы, негізгі ақпараттың таптырмайтын көзі. (Kazakh) Книга фактов о мире незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: percentages are based on population that understands the spoken language

total population: 73.3 years (2024 est.) male: 69 years female: 77.9 years

1.987 million Almaty, 1.291 million NUR-SULTAN (capital), 1.155 million Shimkent (2023)

10 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

total: 32.1 years (2025 est.) male: 30 years female: 33.8 years

28.9 years (2019 est.)

noun: Kazakhstani(s) adjective: Kazakhstani

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

21% (2016)

3.75 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

total: 20,432,662 (2025 est.) male: 9,902,303 female: 10,530,359

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

0.83% (2025 est.)

Muslim 69.3%, Christian 17.2% (Orthodox 17%, other 0.2%), Buddhism 0.1%, other 0.1%, non-believers 2.3%, unspecified 11% (2021 est.)

urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

total: 14 years (2024 est.) male: 14 years (2024 est.) female: 14 years (2024 est.)

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.56 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 20.1% (2025 est.) male: 35.7% (2025 est.) female: 6.3% (2025 est.)

2.57 children born/woman (2025 est.)

urban population: 58.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

1991 - first Kazakh in space on the last Soviet Soyuz mission 2006 - first communications satellite (KazSat-1) built jointly with Italy and launched by Russia 2014 - first remote sensing satellite (KazEOSat-1) built by France and launched on European rocket 2024 - joined China-led lunar base project

Aerospace Committee of the Kazakh Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry Ministry (aka National Space Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan or KazCosmos; established 2007) (2025)

Baikonur Cosmodrome/Space Center (Baikonur) (2025) note 1: Baikonur Cosmodrome is leased and administered by Russia until 2050; the cosmodrome was originally built by the Soviet Union in the mid-1950s and is the site of the World's first successful satellite launch (Sputnik) in 1957; it is also the largest space launch facility in the World note 2: in 2018, Kazakhstan and Russia agreed that Kazakhstan would build, maintain, and operate a new space launch facility (Baiterek) at the Baikonur Space Center (estimated to be fully operational in 2027-2028)

space program originated with the former Soviet Union; focuses on satellite acquisition and operation; builds (with foreign assistance) and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; building space infrastructure, such as launch and testing facilities, ground stations, and rocket manufacturing; has an astronaut (cosmonaut) program; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, and the UK; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station; has state-owned and private companies that assist with the country s space program and work closely with foreign commercial entities (2025)

refugees: 66,152 (2024 est.) IDPs: 0 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 7,865 (2024 est.)

132 (2025)

UP

32 (2025)

total: 122 (2023) by type: general cargo 3, oil tanker 7, other 112

total: 16,636 km (2021) broad gauge: 16,636 km (2021) 1.520-m gauge (4,237 km electrified)