Discover Fascinating Kazakhstan Facts

Dive into the history, culture, and unique insights about Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan

Background

Kazakhstan is a fascinating country with a rich history! ๐ŸŒ Did you know that ethnic Kazakhs, who come from a mix of Turkic nomadic tribes, started moving to this region way back in the 15th century? ๐Ÿ•๏ธ Later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Russia conquered the area. Then, in 1925, it became a part of the Soviet Republic. Finally, Kazakhstan celebrated its independence in 1991! ๐ŸŽ‰

Year Kazakhstan Gained Independence

1991

Exports - commodities

Kazakhstan is rich in a variety of natural resources, and its exports reflect the wealth of its underground treasures! ๐ŸŒ In 2022, the top commodities that Kazakhstan exported include:

  • Crude Petroleum: An essential energy resource for many countries.
  • Gold: Shiny and sought-after, this precious metal is always in demand!
  • Refined Copper: A key player in electrical wiring and many other industries.
  • Iron Alloys: Important materials for construction and manufacturing.
  • Radioactive Chemicals: Used in nuclear energy and various scientific applications.

Each of these commodities plays a vital role in the global market and in Kazakhstan's economy. ๐Ÿ“ˆ

Top Export Commodities in 2022

Crude petroleum, Gold, Refined copper, Iron alloys, Radioactive chemicals

Exports - partners

Kazakhstan has exciting trade partners! ๐ŸŒ In 2022, hereโ€™s how their exports were divided among the top partners:

  • China: 14% ๐Ÿฎ
  • Italy: 13% ๐Ÿ
  • Russia: 9% ๐ŸฅŸ
  • UK: 8% ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง
  • Netherlands: 6% ๐ŸŒท

These partners make up 50% of Kazakhstan's total exports, showing strong trade connections with these countries.

Total percentage of top 5 partners

50%

Export Partners of Kazakhstan (2022)

Capital

Kazakhstan's capital city is Astana! ๐Ÿ™๏ธ This vibrant city is famous for its modern architecture and rapid growth. Astana, which replaced Almaty as the capital in 1997, showcases a mix of traditional Kazakh culture and contemporary style. It's a place where east meets west and tradition meets technology! ๐ŸŒโœจ

Imports - commodities

Kazakhstan imports a variety of goods that are essential for its economy and everyday life! ๐ŸŽ‰ Hereโ€™s a fun look at some of the main imports: garments, cars, broadcasting equipment, plastic products, and packaged medicine. These items are vital for not just keeping the markets running, but also for enhancing the quality of life. ๐Ÿ™๏ธ๐Ÿค– Whether it's the latest car model zooming down the street or essential medicines keeping citizens healthy, imports play a crucial role in the nation's growth!

Climate

Kazakhstan has a unique climate that can be described as continental! ๐ŸŒ This means that it has big temperature differences between the seasons. In winter, the country gets really cold, while in summer, it can be quite hot. ๐ŸŒก๏ธ This climate type also includes arid and semiarid areas, which means that some parts of Kazakhstan can be quite dry with limited rainfall. This diverse climate affects everything from the types of plants that grow to the activities people can do throughout the year. ๐ŸŒฟโ˜€๏ธโ„๏ธ

Executive branch

In Kazakhstan, the chief of state is President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, who has been in office since 20 March 2019. The head of government is Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, who took office on 6 February 2024. ๐Ÿ›๏ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ This marks an exciting period in the leadership of Kazakhstan with these key figures steering the nation's policies and governance!

President in office since

20 March 2019

Prime Minister in office since

6 February 2024

Legislative branch

Kazakhstan has a super cool bicameral Parliament! ๐ŸŽ‰ This means it has two separate chambers: the Senate and the Mazhilis. ๐Ÿ›๏ธ Here's how the seats are divided:

  • Senate: 50 seats
  • Mazhilis: 98 seats

Together, they make important decisions for the country! ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ

Total number of seats in Parliament

148

Seats in Kazakhstan's Parliament

Natural resources

Kazakhstan is a treasure trove of natural resources! ๐ŸŒโœจ Here are some of the major deposits found in the country:

  • Petroleum ๐Ÿ›ข๏ธ
  • Natural Gas ๐Ÿ’จ
  • Coal โš’๏ธ
  • Iron Ore ๐Ÿชจ
  • Manganese ๐Ÿงช
  • Chrome Ore ๐Ÿ”
  • Nickel ๐ŸŒŸ
  • Cobalt โšก
  • Copper ๐Ÿช™
  • Molybdenum ๐Ÿ”ฉ
  • Lead ๐Ÿ—๏ธ
  • Zinc โš™๏ธ
  • Bauxite โ›๏ธ
  • Gold ๐Ÿ’ฐ
  • Uranium โ˜ข๏ธ

With such a wide variety of resources, Kazakhstan plays a crucial role in the global market! ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ’ผ

Economic overview

Kazakhstan is known as an oil and gas giant! ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ’ฐ Their economy is growing thanks to international investment, which sounds super promising! However, like many places, they faced a tough time from the COVID-19 pandemic, which really hit hard. ๐Ÿ˜ท But there's hope! The country is working on reforms to improve civil society and boost business confidence. ๐Ÿ’ผโœจ Still, they face some challenges like legacy state controls and influence from Russia that can slow down growth and autonomy. Let's keep an eye on how they tackle these issues!

Influence of Oil and Gas

Significant

COVID-19 Impact

Severe

International Investment Trend

Growing

Challenges to Growth

State Controls and Russian Influence

Government type

Kazakhstan is a presidential republic! ๐Ÿ›๏ธ This means that the President is the head of state and thereโ€™s a clear separation between the executive and legislative branches of government. It's an important aspect of the country's political landscape, defining how decisions are made and how power is distributed. Understanding the government type helps us learn more about how Kazakhstan functions and how it interacts with its citizens and the world! ๐ŸŒโœจ

Ethnic groups

Kazakhstan is a colorful country with a mix of different ethnic groups! ๐ŸŒˆ Hereโ€™s how the big family of ethnicities looks:

  • 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%

Itโ€™s fascinating to see how diverse this country is! Each ethnic group contributes to the rich culture and heritage of Kazakhstan. ๐ŸŽ‰

Percentage of Kazakh Ethnic Group

71%

Percentage of Russian Ethnic Group

14.9%

Percentage of Uzbek Ethnic Group

3.3%

Percentage of Ukrainian Ethnic Group

1.9%

Percentage of Uyghurs Ethnic Group

1.5%

Percentage of German Ethnic Group

1.1%

Percentage of Tatar Ethnic Group

1.1%

Percentage of Other Ethnic Groups

4.9%

Percentage of Unspecified Ethnic Groups

0.3%

Ethnic Groups in Kazakhstan

Religions

Kazakhstan is a fascinating country with a kaleidoscope of beliefs! ๐ŸŒ Here's a breakdown of the major religions practiced in Kazakhstan as of 2021:

  • Muslims: 69.3% ๐Ÿ•Œ
  • Christians: 17.2% โ›ช
    • Orthodox: 17%
    • Other: 0.2%
  • Buddhism: 0.1% ๐Ÿง˜
  • Other: 0.1%
  • Non-believers: 2.3% ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ
  • Unspecified: 11% โ“

This diverse mix illustrates how the people of Kazakhstan embrace various faiths! ๐ŸŽ‰

Percentage of Muslims

69.3%

Percentage of Christians

17.2%

Percentage of Buddhists

0.1%

Percentage of Non-believers

2.3%

Religious Distribution in Kazakhstan (2021)

Languages

Kazakhstan is a vibrant place with a mix of languages spoken! ๐ŸŒ The official language is Kazakh, also known as Qazaq, and it's spoken by 80.1% of the people. ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ However, Russian is even more widely used, known by a whopping 83.7% of the population. ๐Ÿ“Š If you're looking to travel or communicate, you'll also find that 35.1% of folks can speak English! ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง This diverse linguistic landscape shows how different cultures blend together in Kazakhstan!

Percentage of Kazakh speakers

80.1%

Percentage of Russian speakers

83.7%

Percentage of English speakers

35.1%

Language Proficiency in Kazakhstan (2021)

Imports - partners

Kazakhstan has some interesting trading partners! When we look at where Kazakhstan imports its goods from, we see a few key players. ๐ŸŒ In 2022, Russia was the largest at 29%, closely followed by China at 28%. Germany comes in third with 5%, while South Korea and Turkey hold 4% and 3%, respectively. It's clear that these countries play a big role in providing goods to Kazakhstan! ๐Ÿ“ฆโœˆ๏ธ

Kazakhstan's top import partner

Russia - 29%

Second highest import partner

China - 28%

Smallest import partner

Turkey - 3%

Kazakhstan's Import Partners (2022)

Population

Kazakhstan has a total population of 20,260,006 people! ๐ŸŒ That's a lot of friends and neighbors! This number shows how many wonderful people live in this beautiful country. Let's dive into more facts about Kazakhstan's population! ๐ŸŽ‰

Total Population

20,260,006

Area

Kazakhstan is a gigantic country that covers a whopping 2,724,900 sq km! ๐ŸŒ But let's break it down:

  • Land Area: 2,699,700 sq km of beautiful land ๐ŸŒพ
  • Water Area: Only 25,200 sq km of water ๐ŸŒŠ This means that most of Kazakhstan is dry land, making it a vast territory for many adventures!

Isn't it amazing how much space there is to explore? ๐Ÿคฉ

Total Area of Kazakhstan

2,724,900 sq km

Total Land Area

2,699,700 sq km

Total Water Area

25,200 sq km

Area Distribution in Kazakhstan

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Kazakhstan's economy is on the rise! ๐Ÿ“ˆ Let's take a look at its Real GDP (adjusted for purchasing power) over the last few years:

  • In 2021, it was $650.47 billion.
  • By 2022, it grew to $671.285 billion. That's progress! ๐Ÿš€
  • And in the latest estimate for 2023, it reached an impressive $705.52 billion! ๐Ÿ’ฐ

This shows that Kazakhstan's economy is getting stronger and stronger, year after year! ๐ŸŒŸ

2021 Real GDP

650.47 billion $

2022 Real GDP

671.285 billion $

2023 Real GDP

705.52 billion $

Kazakhstan's Real GDP Over 3 Years

Real GDP per capita

Kazakhstan's economy is buzzing! ๐Ÿ“ˆ The Real GDP per capita gives us a peek into how much each person could expect to earn if the country's wealth were shared evenly. Let's see how it's changing over the years:

  • In 2021, the Real GDP per capita was $33,900.
  • By 2022, it rose to $34,200! ๐ŸŽ‰
  • And the latest estimate for 2023 has it at $35,500. ๐Ÿš€

This upward trend shows Kazakhstan's economy getting stronger year by year!

GDP per capita in 2021

$33,900

GDP per capita in 2022

$34,200

GDP per capita in 2023

$35,500

Kazakhstan's Real GDP per capita Over Time

Imports

Kazakhstan has been increasing its imports steadily over the years! ๐Ÿ“ˆ In 2021, imports were at $49.597 billion. This amount grew to $60.151 billion in 2022, and by 2023, it skyrocketed to an estimated $71.811 billion! ๐Ÿ’ฐ This shows a strong upward trend in Kazakhstan's trade activities. Letโ€™s take a closer look at these impressive import figures!

Imports in 2021

$49.597 billion

Imports in 2022

$60.151 billion

Imports in 2023

$71.811 billion

Kazakhstan's Import Trends (2021-2023)

Exports

Kazakhstan's exports have shown an exciting trend over the past few years! ๐Ÿš€ Let's take a look at the impressive figures:

  • 2021: $71.726 billion
  • 2022: $93.598 billion
  • 2023: $90.167 billion

As you can see, Kazakhstan's exports really took off from 2021 to 2022 but saw a slight dip in 2023. ๐Ÿ“Š This data illustrates the dynamic nature of the country's export economy! ๐ŸŒ

Total Exports in 2023

$90.167 billion

Exports Growth from 2021 to 2022

30.4%

Exports Decrease from 2022 to 2023

3.9%

Kazakhstan's Exports Over the Years

Population growth rate

Kazakhstan's population is on the rise! ๐Ÿš€โœจ As of the 2024 estimate, the population growth rate stands at 0.86%. This means that more and more people are calling Kazakhstan home! ๐Ÿก๐Ÿ’–

Population Growth Rate

0.86%