Kazakhstan
Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world as well as the world's largest landlocked country it has a territory of 2,727,300 km² (greater than Western Europe). It is bordered by Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China. The country also borders on a significant part of the Caspian Sea.
Internet usage
1,400,000 Internet users as of Mar/08, 9.1% penetration, per ITU.
|
|
Users |
% Pen. |
GDP p.c.* |
Usage Source |
|
2000 |
70,000 |
0.5 % |
US$ n/a |
ITU |
|
2005 |
400,000 |
2.7 % |
US$ 2,930 |
ITU |
|
2007 |
1,247,000 |
8.5 % |
US$ 2,930 |
ITU |
Political life facts
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Kazakhstan is a constitutional republic with a strong presidency. It is divided into 14 oblasts and the two municipal districts of Almaty and Astana. Each is headed by an akim (provincial governor) appointed by the president. Municipal akims are appointed by oblast akims.
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Kazakhstan has a bicameral Parliament, comprised of a lower house (the Mazhilis) and upper house (the Senate). Single mandate districts popularly elect 67 seats in the Mazhilis; there also are 10 members elected by party-list vote. The Senate has 39 members. Two senators are selected by each of the elected assemblies (Maslikhats) of Kazakhstan's 16 principal administrative divisions (14 regions, or oblasts, plus the cities of Astana and Almaty). The president appoints the remaining seven senators.
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Elections to the Majilis in September 2004 yielded a lower house dominated by the pro-government Otan party, headed by President Nazarbayev.
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On August 17, 2007, elections to the lower house of parliament were held with the ruling Nur-Otan coalition winning every seat with 88% of the vote. None of the opposition parties have reached the benchmark 7% level of the seats.
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Ten political parties are registered: Nur Otan ("The Light of Fatherland" in Kazakh), Azat ("Free"; formerly known as True Ak Zhol), the National Social Democratic Party, Ak Zhol (Bright Path), Auyl (Farm), the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, the Communist People's Party, Party of Patriots, Adilet (Justice), and Rukhaniyat (Spirituality).
Economical facts
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Currency: Tenge (KZT). Exchange rate (period average): 122.55 KZT/U.S. $1 in 2007
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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
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Kazakhstan's economy grew by 8.5% in 2007. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 10.7% in 2006, 9.7% in 2005, 9.6% in 2004, 9.2% in 2003, and 9.5% in 2002.
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In September 2002, Kazakhstan became the first country in the former Soviet Union to receive an investment-grade credit rating from a major international credit rating agency.
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Oil and gas is the leading economic sector. Production of oil and gas condensate in Kazakhstan amounted to 67.2 million tons in 2007, an increase from 64.5 million tons in 2006. Industry analysts believe that planned expansion of oil production, coupled with the development of new fields, will enable the country to produce as much as 3 million barrels per day by 2015, lifting Kazakhstan into the ranks of the world's top 10 oil-producing nations. Major oil and gas fields and their recoverable oil reserves are Tengiz; Karachaganak and Kashagan.
