Kazakhstan - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

Kazakhstan, geographically the largest of the former Soviet republics, excluding Russia, possesses substantial fossil fuel reserves and other minerals and metals, such as uranium, copper, and zinc. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. The government realizes that its economy suffers from an overreliance on oil and extractive industries and has made initial attempts to diversify its economy by targeting sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing for greater development and investment. Kazakhstan's...

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GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Investment 2017 Q3 3,110,971,600,000 1,829,186,400,000 KZT, NSA Quarterly
Real Government Consumption 2016 1,651,353,465,400 1,614,226,261,400 NCU Annual
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2016 4,511,582,147,200 4,380,176,841,900 NCU Annual
Real Investment 2016 5,174,185,573,100 5,047,985,925,000 NCU Annual
Real Private Consumption 2015 98,660,360,467 97,924,082,385 2010 USD Annual
Private Consumption 2015 Q4 7,950,183,700,000 4,835,776,400,000 KZT, NSA Quarterly
Government Consumption 2015 Q4 1,381 1,111 Bil. RUR Quarterly
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2015 Q4 13,283 9,353 Bil. RUR Quarterly
Real Gross Domestic Product 2009 126.02 124.53 Index 2005=100 Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Feb 2024 305.65 302.32 Index 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Producer Price Index (PPI) Dec 2017 168.06 162.34 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 1,665,814 1,640,901 # Annual
Unemployment Dec 2017 439,000 439,000 #, NSA Monthly
Labor Force Employment Dec 2017 8,530,800 8,538,000 #, NSA Monthly
Unemployment Rate Dec 2017 4.9 4.9 %, NSA Monthly
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Exports of Goods 2023 Q3 20,131,894,777 19,811,057,489 USD, NSA Quarterly
Imports of Goods 2023 Q3 15,094,276,630 15,464,152,182 USD, NSA Quarterly
Balance of Goods 2023 Q3 5,037,618,146 4,346,905,306 USD, NSA Quarterly
Current Account Balance 2023 Q3 -1,808,049,918 -3,390,570,858 USD, NSA Quarterly
Imports of Goods and Services 2017 Q3 3,700,012,100,000 3,443,493,900,000 KZT, NSA Quarterly
Exports of Goods and Services 2017 Q3 4,516,305,200,000 4,442,712,100,000 KZT, NSA Quarterly
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2016 4,793,240,810,300 4,891,062,051,300 NCU Annual
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2016 4,160,591,557,800 4,356,640,374,700 NCU Annual
Government Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Government Revenues Jan 2024 1,646,244 24,917,246 Mln. Tenge, NSA Monthly
Government Expenditures Jan 2024 1,520,991 26,760,000 Mil. Tenge, NSA Monthly
Gross External Debt 2023 Q3 15,915,392,586 15,687,235,433 USD, NSA Quarterly
Outstanding Public Debt 2016 7,876,721,720,000 7,893,874,198,000 NCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Lending Rate Jun 2017 10.5 11 % Monthly
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Apr 2008 7 7 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Industrial Production Feb 2024 104.6 103.4 Index CPPY=100, NSA Monthly
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Death Rate 2016 7.37 7.48 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Birth Rate 2015 22.66 23.13 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
Ethnic Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated to the region by 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. Soviet policies reduced the number of ethnic Kazakhs in the 1930s and enabled non-ethnic Kazakhs to outnumber natives. 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) further skewed the ethnic mixture. 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 back to Kazakhstan. These trends have allowed Kazakhs to become the titular majority again. This dramatic demographic shift has also undermined the previous religious diversity and made the country more than 70% Muslim.
Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states largely due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity, expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets, diversifying the economy, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening relations with neighboring states and foreign powers. Astana successfully hosted an internationally recognized exposition in 2017. The three-month Expo 2017, themed Future Energy, was the first such exhibition by a former Soviet country.

Geography

Location:
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Zhayyq) River in easternmost Europe
Geographic coordinates:
48 00 N, 68 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 2,724,900 sq km
land: 2,699,700 sq km
water: 25,200 sq km
country comparison to the world: 10
Area - comparative:
slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries:
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
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)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain:
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
Elevation:
mean elevation: 387 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources:
major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land use:
agricultural land: 77.4%
arable land 8.9%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 68.5%
forest: 1.2%
other: 21.4% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
20,660 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
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
Natural hazards:
earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty
Environment - current issues:
radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers that 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; desertification; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:
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 of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

People & Society

Population:
18,556,698 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Nationality:
noun: Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic groups:
Kazakh (Qazaq) 63.1%, Russian 23.7%, Uzbek 2.9%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Uighur 1.4%, Tatar 1.3%, German 1.1%, other 4.4% (2009 est.)
Languages:
Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 74% (understand spoken language), Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 94.4% (understand spoken language) (2009 est.)
Religions:
Muslim 70.2%, Christian 26.2% (mainly Russian Orthodox), other 0.2%, atheist 2.8%, unspecified 0.5% (2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.91% (male 2,374,427/female 2,434,212)
15-24 years: 14.05% (male 1,329,376/female 1,277,615)
25-54 years: 42.42% (male 3,847,282/female 4,024,052)
55-64 years: 9.97% (male 810,019/female 1,040,917)
65 years and over: 7.65% (male 494,064/female 924,734) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 50.4
youth dependency ratio: 40.3
elderly dependency ratio: 10.2
potential support ratio: 9.8 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.6 years
male: 29.3 years
female: 31.9 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Population growth rate:
1.04% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Birth rate:
18.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Death rate:
8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Net migration rate:
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Population distribution:
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
Urbanization:
urban population: 53.2% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
Almaty 1.523 million; ASTANA (capital) 759,000 (2015)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 0.93 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.78 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
25 years (2014 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.1 years
male: 65.9 years
female: 76 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Total fertility rate:
2.25 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
55.7% (2015)
Health expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 158
Physicians density:
3.27 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density:
6.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 99.4% of population
rural: 85.6% of population
total: 92.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.6% of population
rural: 14.4% of population
total: 7.1% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 97% of population
rural: 98.1% of population
total: 97.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 3% of population
rural: 1.9% of population
total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
26,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<1000 (2016 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
21% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 94
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
2% (2015)
country comparison to the world: 100
Education expenditures:
3% of GDP (2016)
country comparison to the world: 138
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2016)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 3.9%
male: 3.6%
female: 4.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

Government

Country name:
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 "Kazakh" derives from the Turkic word "kaz" meaning "to wander," recalling the Kazakh's nomadic lifestyle; the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Kazakhstan literally means "Land of the Wanderers"
Government type:
presidential republic
Capital:
name: Astana
geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E
time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
note: Kazakhstan has two time zones
Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (oblyslar, singular - oblys) and 2 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); Almaty (Taldyqorghan), Almaty*, Aqmola (Kokshetau), Aqtobe, Astana*, Atyrau, Batys Qazaqstan [West Kazakhstan] (Oral), Mangghystau (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan [South Kazakhstan] (Shymkent), Pavlodar, Qaraghandy, Qostanay, Qyzylorda, Shyghys Qazaqstan [East Kazakhstan] (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan [North Kazakhstan] (Petropavl), Zhambyl (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 (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the lease to 2050
Independence:
16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
Constitution:
history: previous 1937, 1978 (preindependence), 1993; latest approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic on the recommendation of Parliament or the government; the president has the option of submitting draft amendments to Parliament or directly to a referendum; passage of amendments to Parliament requires three-fourths 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; amended several times, last in 2017 (2017)
Legal system:
civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and by the theory and practice of the Russian Federation
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship:
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Bakytzhan SAGINTAYEV (since 9 September 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Askar MAMIN (since 13 September 2016)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 26 April 2015 (next scheduled for 2020); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the Mazhilis; note - constitutional amendments in May 2007 shortened the presidential term from 7 to 5 years and established a 2-consecutive-term limit; NAZARBAYEV has official status as the "First President of Kazakhstan" and is allowed unlimited terms
election results: Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (Nur Otan) 97.8%, other 2.2%
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 32 members indirectly elected by majority 2-round vote by the oblast-level assemblies and 15 members appointed by the president; members serve 6-year terms, with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the Mazhilis (107 seats; 98 members directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 9 indirectly elected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, a 350-member, presidentially appointed advisory body designed to represent the country's ethnic minorities)
elections: Senate - last held on 28 June 2017 (next to be held in 2020); Mazhilis - last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held by 2021)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nur Otan 16; Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur Otan 82.2%, Ak Zhol 7.2%, Communist People's Party 7.1%, other 3.5%; seats by party - Nur Otan 84, Ak Zhol 7, Communist People's Party 7
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of 44 members); Constitutional Council (consists of 7 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 Majilis chairperson each appoints 1 member for a 3-year term and each appoints 1 member for a 6-year term; chairperson of the Constitutional Council appointed by the president of the republic for a 6-year term
subordinate courts: regional and local courts
Political parties and leaders:
Ak Zhol (Bright Path) Party or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol [Azat PERUASHEV]
Auyl National Patriotic Party [Ali BEKTAYEV] (a merger of the Patriots’ Party and the Auyl Social Democratic Party)
Birlik (Unity) [Serik SULTANGALI] (a merger of Adilet (Justice; formerly Democratic Party of Kazakhstan) and Rukhaniyat (Spirituality))
Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]
National Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]
Nur Otan (Radiant Fatherland) Democratic People's Party [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with Otan)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]
Chairman of Bureau's Council [Roza AKYLBEKOVA]
Foundation for Support of Civil Initiatives [Nurul RAKHIMBEK]
International Legal Initiative [Aina SHORMANBAYEVA]
Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law or KIBHR [Rosa AKYLBEKOVA]
Legal Media Centre (sometimes known as the North Kazakhstan Legal Media Centre) [Diana OKREMOVA]
Public Foundation for Parliamentary Development [Zauresh BATTALOVA]
Republican Network of International Monitors or RNIM [Daniyar LIVAZOV]
Transparency International [Natalya KOVALEVA]
International organization participation:
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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Erzhar KAZYKHANOV (since 24 April 2017)
chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George KROL (since 18 March 2015)
embassy: Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Ave. No 3, Astana 010010
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (7172) 70-21-00
FAX: [7] (7172) 54-09-14
Consulate(s) General: Almaty
Flag description:
a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle, both centered on a sky blue background; the hoist side displays a national ornamental pattern "koshkar-muiz" (the horns of the ram) in gold; the blue color is of religious significance to the Turkic peoples of the country, and so symbolizes cultural and ethnic unity; it also represents the endless sky as well as water; the sun, a source of life and energy, exemplifies wealth and plenitude; the sun's rays are shaped like grain, which is the basis of abundance and prosperity; the eagle has appeared on the flags of Kazakh tribes for centuries and represents freedom, power, and the flight to the future
National symbol(s):
golden eagle; national colors: blue, yellow
National anthem:
name: "Menin Qazaqstanim" (My Kazakhstan)
lyrics/music: Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV
note: adopted 2006; President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV played a role in revising the lyrics

Economy

Economy - overview:
Kazakhstan, geographically the largest of the former Soviet republics, excluding Russia, possesses substantial fossil fuel reserves and other minerals and metals, such as uranium, copper, and zinc. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. The government realizes that its economy suffers from an overreliance on oil and extractive industries and has made initial attempts to diversify its economy by targeting sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing for greater development and investment.
Kazakhstan's vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves form the backbone of its economy. Chevron-led Tengizchevroil announced a $36.8 billion expansion of Kazakhstan’s premiere Tengiz oil field in July 2016. Meanwhile, the super-giant Kashagan field finally launched production in October 2016 after years of delay and an estimated $55 billion in development costs.
Kazakhstan is landlocked and depends on Russia to export its oil to Europe. It also exports oil directly to China. In 2010, Kazakhstan joined Russia and Belarus to establish a Customs Union in an effort to boost foreign investment and improve trade. The Customs Union evolved into a Single Economic Space in 2012 and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in January 2015. In part due to weak commodity prices, Kazakhstan’s exports to EAEU countries declined 23.5% in 2016. Imports from EAEU countries to Kazakhstan declined 13.7%.
The economic downturn of its EAEU partner, Russia, and the decline in global commodity prices from 2014 to 2015 contributed to an economic slowdown in Kazakhstan, which continues to experience its slowest economic growth since the financial crises of 2008-09. In 2014, Kazakhstan devalued its currency, the tenge, and announced a stimulus package to cope with its economic challenges. In the face of further decline in the ruble, oil prices, and the regional economy, Kazakhstan announced in 2015 it would replace its currency band with a floating exchange rate, leading to a sharp fall in the value of the tenge. Since reaching a low of 391 to the dollar in January 2016, the tenge has modestly appreciated, helped by somewhat higher oil prices.
Despite some positive institutional and legislative changes in the last several years, investors remain concerned about corruption, bureaucracy, and arbitrary law enforcement, especially at the regional and municipal levels. An additional concern is the condition of the country’s banking sector, which suffers from low liquidity, poor asset quality, and a lack of transparency. Investors also question the potentially negative effects on the economy of a contested presidential succession as Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, who turned 77 in 2017, has not announced whether he will seek reelection in 2019.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$474.3 billion (2017 est.)
$459 billion (2016 est.)
$454.1 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 42
GDP (official exchange rate):
$156.2 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2017 est.)
1.1% (2016 est.)
1.2% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$26,100 (2017 est.)
$25,600 (2016 est.)
$25,700 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 77
Gross national saving:
22.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
22.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
26.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 57.5%
government consumption: 12.6%
investment in fixed capital: 23.9%
investment in inventories: 0.7%
exports of goods and services: 35.2%
imports of goods and services: -30% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 34.4%
services: 60.8% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
grain (mostly spring wheat and barley), potatoes, vegetables, melons; livestock
Industries:
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
Industrial production growth rate:
4.9% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Labor force:
9.147 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 18.1%
industry: 20.4%
services: 61.6% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5% (2017 est.)
5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
Population below poverty line:
2.7% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.3%
highest 10%: 22% (2013 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.3 (2013 est.)
31.5 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Budget:
revenues: $34.13 billion
expenditures: $37.89 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
21.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Public debt:
27.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
26.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.3% (2017 est.)
14.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
Central bank discount rate:
11% (10 April 2017 est.)
12% (9 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.1% (31 December 2017 est.)
15.33% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Stock of narrow money:
$15.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$13.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Stock of broad money:
$42.11 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$37.78 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Stock of domestic credit:
$55.99 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$55.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$744 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$4.737 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$26.23 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Current account balance:
$-8.291 billion (2017 est.)
$-8.518 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Exports:
$44.11 billion (2017 est.)
$37.3 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Exports - commodities:
oil and oil products, natural gas, ferrous metals, chemicals, machinery, grain, wool, meat, coal
Exports - partners:
Italy 20.3%, China 11.5%, Russia 9.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, Switzerland 7.3%, France 4.9% (2016)
Imports:
$31.09 billion (2017 est.)
$27.87 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Russia 36.2%, China 14.5%, Germany 5.7%, US 5.1% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$31.44 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$29.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Debt - external:
$159.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$163.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$156.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$143.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$34.74 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$32.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Exchange rates:
tenge (KZT) per US dollar -
326.3 (2017 est.)
342.13 (2016 est.)
342.13 (2015 est.)
221.73 (2014 est.)
179.19 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
Electricity - production:
100.4 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Electricity - consumption:
95.26 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - exports:
1.614 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Electricity - imports:
1.618 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
22.06 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
86.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
13.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Crude oil - production:
1.595 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Crude oil - exports:
1.292 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Crude oil - imports:
145,800 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Crude oil - proved reserves:
30 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
Refined petroleum products - production:
228,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
186,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Refined petroleum products - exports:
846 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Refined petroleum products - imports:
44,490 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Natural gas - production:
21.38 billion cu m (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Natural gas - consumption:
13.1 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Natural gas - exports:
13.7 billion cu m (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Natural gas - imports:
4.7 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
257.8 million Mt (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 3,931,100
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 25,534,800
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Telephone system:
general assessment: inherited an outdated telecommunications network from the Soviet era requiring modernization
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is inadequate; mobile-cellular usage increased rapidly and the subscriber base approaches 140 per 100 persons
international: country code - 7; international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (2017)
Broadcast media:
state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; there are 7 state TV channels, 14 regional TV channels, and 4 radio stations; there are also private TV channels and radio stations; some former state-owned media outlets have been privatized; households with satellite dishes have access to foreign media; recent legislation requires all media outlets to register with the government and all TV providers to broadcast in digital format by 2018; broadcasts reach some 99% of the population as well as neighboring countries (2017)
Internet country code:
.kz
Internet users:
total: 14,100,751
percent of population: 76.8% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 10
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 71
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,081,631
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 37,669,008 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
UP (2016)
Airports:
96 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 59
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 63
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 33
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 13 (2013)
Heliports:
3 (2013)
Pipelines:
condensate 658 km; gas 15,256 km; oil 11,313 km; refined products 1,095 km; water 1,975 km (2016)
Railways:
total: 16,104 km
broad gauge: 16,104 km 1.520-m gauge (4,200 km electrified) (2016)
country comparison to the world: 19
Roadways:
total: 97,418 km
paved: 87,140 km
unpaved: 10,278 km (2012)
country comparison to the world: 48
Waterways:
4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 25
Merchant marine:
total: 119
by type: general cargo 4, oil tanker 10, other 105 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 78
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Caspian Sea - Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev)
river port(s): Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk) (Irtysh River)

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
0.82% of GDP (2016)
3.45% of GDP (2015)
1.04% of GDP (2014)
1.08% of GDP (2013)
1.05% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 129
Military branches:
Kazakhstan Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air Defense Forces (2017)
Military service age and obligation:
18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 2 years, but Kazakhstan is transitioning to a largely contract force; military cadets in intermediate (ages 15-17) and higher (ages 17-21) education institutes are classified as military service personnel (2017)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; field demarcation of the boundaries commenced with Uzbekistan in 2004 and with Turkmenistan in 2005; ongoing demarcation with Russia began in 2007; demarcation with China was completed in 2002; creation of a seabed boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains under discussion; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
stateless persons: 8,451 (2016)
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; significant consumer of opiates

Economic Indicators for Kazakhstan including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Kazakhstan economy.