Essential information and facts about Kazakhstan: Astana
Capital
Total Area Population Median age
2,724,
900sq.km 19.5 million 31.6 years
Religion Muslim, Christian
Ethnic Groups Kazakh, Russian, Uzbek, other Languages Kazakh, Russian, English Currency
Tenge (KZT)
Government type Presidential Republic Chief of State President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev (since 2019)
Head of Government Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov (since 2022)
Unemployment
Elections President elected for seven-year term. Next election due 2029. Prime Minister and deputies appointed by President. 4.8 per cent
Tourism 8.5m (2019)
referendum and this led to the stripping of Nazarbayev’s post presidential privileges in policy making as Tokayev promised a ‘new and just Kazakhstan’ which included the renaming of the capital Astana - which has previously been named Nur-Sultan in Nazarbayev’s honour.
Meanwhile Alihan Smaiylov was re-elected as Prime Minister. He was appointed as Prime Minister in January last year after his predecessor Askar Mamim resigned during the protests.
Smaiylov’s priorities are to bring economic growth to Kazakhstan to five per cent in the medium term and reduce inflation twofold by the end of the year. His focus is on economic diversification, saturation of the Kazakh market with domestic goods and growth in the production of non-commodity goods with high added value. He wants to improve the business world, employment and increase incomes for the Kazakhstan people. On average in Kazakhstan unemployment stands at around 4.8 per cent.
Tere is still unrest. Oil workers have regularly held protests or strikes. Most recently a protest in April was staged after 150 employees were laid off at the BerAli Mangistau Company.
Te three largest oil fields, Tengiz, Kashagan and Karachaganak in the northwest of the country account for around two thirds of Kazakhstan’s oil production. Te government has passed laws restricting workers’ rights to strike and often use violence against trade union activists.
P126 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Te fall out of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and soaring inflation has had a massive effect on Kazakhstan’s economy.
Last year Kazakhstan saw a 3.2 per cent growth in GDP, a little way off the 4.5 per cent growth back in 2019 pre-Covid. It is thought there will be a 3.5 per cent growth this year and up to four per cent in 2024.
High inflation, rising borrowing costs and an increase in household debt will continue to have an affect on consumer spending. Inflation has surged to its highest level since the late 1990s mostly due to wage increases across sectors and crisis-related fiscal measures. Food prices have been a major contributor to the surge. Inflation is expected to remain beyond the target range of four to six per cent this year.
Lower oil production and supply chain issues are big problems.
Te sanctions placed on Russia over the Ukraine invasion have impacted supply chains particularly in Kazakhstan. About 80 per cent of Kazakhstan’s crude exports were transported via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium which is connected to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
Te country’s significant ties with Russia means it relies heavily on Russian economic infrastructure. Goods shipping from the EU and China must pass through Russian territory and use Russian rail infrastructure before arriving in Kazakhstan meaning it is vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.
Tourism, although not a major economic component, was responsible for about 1.6 per cent of GDP in 2019. Main attractions include the modern mega capital city Astana and former capital Almaty which is now a major commercial and cultural centre whilst Lake Karakol lures those interested in nature. Tere are around 3,800 accommodations in the country, 13 national parks and 79 natural monuments. Total area of protected natural area is around nine per cent which is about the size of the UK.
Back in 2019 the number of inbound arrivals topped 8.5 million with the more than 90 per cent traditionally coming from ex-Soviet neighbouring countries. Tis dropped down to two million in 2020. Te first three months of 2023 saw the number of international tourists
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164
