{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "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."
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Zhayyq) River in easternmost Europe"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "48 00 N, 68 00 E"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Asia"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total": {
        "text": "2,724,900 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "2,699,700 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "25,200 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "slightly less than four times the size of Texas"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "13,364 km"
      },
      "border countries": {
        "text": "China 1,765 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,212 km, Russia 7,644 km, Turkmenistan 413 km, Uzbekistan 2,330 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "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": {
      "text": "none (landlocked)"
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "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": {
        "text": "387 m"
      },
      "elevation extremes": {
        "text": "lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m ++ highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "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": {
        "text": "77.4% ++ arable land 8.9%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 68.5%"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "1.2%"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "21.4% (2011 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "20,660 sq km (2012)"
    },
    "Population - distribution": {
      "text": "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": {
      "text": "earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty"
    },
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "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; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices"
    },
    "Environment - international agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol"
      }
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "world's largest landlocked country; 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 and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "text": "18,360,353 (July 2016 est.)"
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Kazakhstani(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Kazakhstani"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "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": {
      "text": "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": {
      "text": "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": {
        "text": "25.68% (male 2,336,444/female 2,378,769)"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "14.66% (male 1,371,133/female 1,319,938)"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "42.5% (male 3,808,164/female 3,994,781)"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "9.77% (male 784,035/female 1,008,935)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "7.4% (male 470,485/female 887,669) (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "50.3%"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "40.1%"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "10.1%"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "9.9% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "30.3 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "29 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "31.6 years (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "1.09% (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "18.7 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "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": {
        "text": "53.2% of total population (2015)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "0.86% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "Almaty 1.523 million; ASTANA (capital) 759,000 (2015)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "0.94 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "0.98 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "1.04 male(s)/female"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "0.95 male(s)/female"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "0.78 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.53 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.92 male(s)/female (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Mother's mean age at first birth": {
      "text": "25 (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Maternal mortality rate": {
      "text": "12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "20.3 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "22.9 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "70.8 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "65.6 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "75.7 years (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "2.28 children born/woman (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Contraceptive prevalence rate": {
      "text": "51% (2010/11)"
    },
    "Health expenditures": {
      "text": "4.4% of GDP (2014)"
    },
    "Physicians density": {
      "text": "3.62 physicians/1,000 population (2013)"
    },
    "Hospital bed density": {
      "text": "7.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 99.4% of population ++ rural: 85.6% of population ++ total: 92.9% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 0.6% of population ++ rural: 14.4% of population ++ total: 7.1% of population (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 97% of population ++ rural: 98.1% of population ++ total: 97.5% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 3% of population ++ rural: 1.9% of population ++ total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "0.21% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": {
      "text": "23,100 (2015 est.)"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - deaths": {
      "text": "500 (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "23.5% (2014)"
    },
    "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": {
      "text": "3.7% (2011)"
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "3.1% of GDP (2009)"
    },
    "Literacy": {
      "definition": {
        "text": "age 15 and over can read and write"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "99.8%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "99.8%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "99.8% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "15 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "15 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "15 years (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Child labor - children ages 5-14": {
      "total number": {
        "text": "59,254"
      },
      "percentage": {
        "text": "2% (2006 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3.9%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "3.6%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "4.3% (2013 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Republic of Kazakhstan"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Kazakhstan"
      },
      "local long form": {
        "text": "Qazaqstan Respublikasy"
      },
      "local short form": {
        "text": "Qazaqstan"
      },
      "former": {
        "text": "Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "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": {
      "text": "presidential republic"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Astana"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "51 10 N, 71 25 E"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      },
      "note": {
        "text": "Kazakhstan has two time zones"
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "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": {
        "text": "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": {
      "text": "16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Independence Day, 16 December (1991)"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "text": "previous 1937, 1978 (preindependence); latest adopted 28 January 1993, approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995; amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)"
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and by the theory and practice of the Russian Federation"
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "citizenship by birth": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "citizenship by descent only": {
        "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Kazakhstan"
      },
      "dual citizenship recognized": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
        "text": "5 years"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "President Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Bakytzhan SAGINTAYEV (since 9 September 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Askar MAMIN (since 13 September 2016)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 April 2015 (next to be held in 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": {
        "text": "Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan Abishuly NAZARBAYEV (Nur Otan) 97.8%, other 2.2%"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "description": {
        "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 32 members indirectly elected by majority two-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": {
        "text": "Senate - last held on 1 October 2014 (next to be held in 2017); Mazhilis - last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held by 2021)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "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)": {
        "text": "Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of 44 members); Constitutional Council (consists of 7 members)"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "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": {
        "text": "regional and local courts"
      }
    },
    "Political parties and leaders": {
      "text": "Ak Zhol (Bright Path) Party or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol [Azat PERUASHEV] ++ Auyl National Patriotic Party [Ali BEKTAYEV] (Auyl is a September 2015 merger of the Patriots’ Party and the Auyl Social Democratic Party) ++ Birlik (Unity) [Seril SULTANGALI] (Birlik is an April 2013 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": {
      "text": "Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA] ++ Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Larissa KHARKOVA] ++ Foundation for Support of Civil Initiatives [Nurul RAKHIMBEK] ++ International Legal Initiative [Aina SHORMANBAYEVA] ++ Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Chairman of Bureau's Council, Roza AKYLBEKOVA, director] ++ 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 [Daniyar LIVAZOV] ++ Transparency International [Sergey ZLOTNIKOV]"
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, 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, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Kayrat UMAROV (since 14 January 2013)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 232-5488"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 232-5845"
      },
      "consulate(s) general": {
        "text": "New York"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador George KROL (since 18 March 2015)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "Rakhymzhan Koshkarbayev Ave. No 3, Astana 010010"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "use embassy street address"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[7] (7172) 70-21-00"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[7] (7172) 54-09-14"
      },
      "Consulate(s) General": {
        "text": "Almaty"
      }
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "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; blue and yellow are the national colors"
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "golden eagle; national colors: blue, yellow"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "name": {
        "text": "\"Menin Qazaqstanim\" (My Kazakhstan)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "Zhumeken NAZHIMEDENOV and Nursultan NAZARBAYEV/Shamshi KALDAYAKOV"
      },
      "note": {
        "text": "adopted 2006; President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV played a role in revising the lyrics"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economy - overview": {
      "text": "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 embarked on an ambitious diversification program, aimed at developing targeted sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing. ++  ++ Kazakhstan's vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves form the backbone of its economy. Kazakhstan is landlocked and depends on Russia to export its oil to Europe. 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 (EEU) in January 2015. ++  ++ The economic downturn of its EEU partner, Russia, and the decline in global commodity prices have contributed to an economic slowdown in Kazakhstan, which is experiencing its slowest economic growth since the financial crises of 2008-09. Kazakhstan devalued its currency, the tenge, by 19% in February 2014, and in November 2014, the government announced a stimulus package to cope with its economic challenges. In spring 2015, Kazakhstan embarked on an ambitious reform agenda to modernize its economy and improve its institutions. In the face of further decline in the ruble, oil prices, and the regional economic slowdown, Kazakhstan announced in August 2015 that it would cancel its currency band in favor of a floating exchange rate that sparked further devaluation of the tenge. In 2015, Kazakhstan's president signed into law a new Entrepreneurial Code and a new Labor Code, both aimed at improving the business environment. Despite some positive institutional and legislative changes, investors remain concerned about corruption, bureaucracy, and arbitrary law enforcement, especially at the regional and municipal levels."
    },
    "GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "text": "$460.7 billion (2016 est.) ++ $464.2 billion (2015 est.) ++ $458.9 billion (2014 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "data are in 2016 dollars"
      }
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$128.1 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - real growth rate": {
      "text": "-0.8% (2016 est.) ++ 1.2% (2015 est.) ++ 4.3% (2014 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - per capita (PPP)": {
      "text": "$25,700 (2016 est.) ++ $26,300 (2015 est.) ++ $26,300 (2014 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "data are in 2016 dollars"
      }
    },
    "Gross national saving": {
      "text": "25.9% of GDP (2016 est.) ++ 27.2% of GDP (2015 est.) ++ 27.7% of GDP (2014 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "53.7%"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "13%"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "25.1%"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "1.9%"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "32.8%"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-26.5% (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "5.1%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "33%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "61.9% (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Agriculture - products": {
      "text": "grain (mostly spring wheat and barley), potatoes, vegetables, melons; livestock"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "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": {
      "text": "1.4% (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "9.059 million (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force - by occupation": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "25.8%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "11.9%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "62.3% (2012)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "text": "5.7% (2016 est.) ++ 5% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "5.3% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "3.9%"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "23.7% (2011 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Distribution of family income - Gini index": {
      "text": "28.9 (2011) ++ 31.5 (2003)"
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$23.35 billion"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$27.25 billion (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "18.2% of GDP (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": {
      "text": "-3% of GDP (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "text": "24.1% of GDP (2016 est.) ++ 24.1% of GDP (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Fiscal year": {
      "text": "calendar year"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "text": "14.6% (2016 est.) ++ 6.7% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Central bank discount rate": {
      "text": "16% (31 December 2015) ++ 5.5% (31 December 2014)"
    },
    "Commercial bank prime lending rate": {
      "text": "12.4% (31 December 2016 est.) ++ 9.56% (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of narrow money": {
      "text": "$10.66 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $8.933 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of broad money": {
      "text": "$52.89 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $56.49 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of domestic credit": {
      "text": "$60.94 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $50.83 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Market value of publicly traded shares": {
      "text": "$34.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.) ++ $22.97 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $26.23 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "text": "-$2.785 billion (2016 est.) ++ -$4.436 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exports": {
      "text": "$35.28 billion (2016 est.) ++ $46.29 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "oil and oil products, natural gas, ferrous metals, chemicals, machinery, grain, wool, meat, coal"
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "China 15.1%, Russia 12.3%, France 9.2%, Germany 7.9%, Italy 6.7%, Greece 4.1% (2015)"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "text": "$24.5 billion (2016 est.) ++ $33.65 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs"
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "Russia 32.9%, China 25.9%, Germany 4.2% (2015)"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "text": "$30.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $28.07 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "text": "$147.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $153.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home": {
      "text": "$148.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $139.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad": {
      "text": "$35.27 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $33.77 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "text": "tenge (KZT) per US dollar - ++ 348.5 (2016 est.) ++ 221.73 (2015 est.) ++ 221.73 (2014 est.) ++ 179.19 (2013 est.) ++ 149.11 (2012 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity - production": {
      "text": "99 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - consumption": {
      "text": "91 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - exports": {
      "text": "2.9 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - imports": {
      "text": "1.7 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - installed generating capacity": {
      "text": "19 million kW (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from fossil fuels": {
      "text": "87.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": {
      "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": {
      "text": "12.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from other renewable sources": {
      "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - production": {
      "text": "1.653 million bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - exports": {
      "text": "1.466 million bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - imports": {
      "text": "142,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - proved reserves": {
      "text": "30 billion bbl (1 January 2016 es)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - production": {
      "text": "300,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - consumption": {
      "text": "267,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
      "text": "140,900 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
      "text": "53,780 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - production": {
      "text": "20.81 billion cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - consumption": {
      "text": "15.97 billion cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - exports": {
      "text": "11.54 billion cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - imports": {
      "text": "6.695 billion cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - proved reserves": {
      "text": "2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 es)"
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": {
      "text": "199 million Mt (2013 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "4,143,100"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "23 (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total": {
        "text": "31.39 million"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "173 (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephone system": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "inherited an outdated telecommunications network from the Soviet era requiring modernization"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is inadequate; mobile-cellular usage has increased rapidly and the subscriber base now exceeds 170 per 100 persons"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "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 Int (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "state owns nearly all radio and TV transmission facilities and operates national TV and radio networks; nearly all nationwide TV networks are wholly or partly owned by the government; some former state-owned media outlets have been privatized; households (2015)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".kz"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "total": {
        "text": "13.23 million"
      },
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "72.9% (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "National air transport system": {
      "number of registered air carriers": {
        "text": "10"
      },
      "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": {
        "text": "71"
      },
      "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "5,081,631"
      },
      "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "37,669,008 mt-km (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "UP (2016)"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "96 (2013)"
    },
    "Airports - with paved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "63"
      },
      "over 3,047 m": {
        "text": "10"
      },
      "2,438 to 3,047 m": {
        "text": "25"
      },
      "1,524 to 2,437 m": {
        "text": "15"
      },
      "914 to 1,523 m": {
        "text": "5"
      },
      "under 914 m": {
        "text": "8 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Airports - with unpaved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "33"
      },
      "over 3,047 m": {
        "text": "5"
      },
      "2,438 to 3,047 m": {
        "text": "7"
      },
      "1,524 to 2,437 m": {
        "text": "3"
      },
      "914 to 1,523 m": {
        "text": "5"
      },
      "under 914 m": {
        "text": "13 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Heliports": {
      "text": "3 (2013)"
    },
    "Pipelines": {
      "text": "condensate 658 km; gas 12,432 km; oil 11,313 km; refined products 1,095 km; water 1,465 km (2013)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14,184 km"
      },
      "broad gauge": {
        "text": "14,184 km 1.520-m gauge (4,056 km electrified) (2014)"
      }
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "97,418 km"
      },
      "paved": {
        "text": "87,140 km"
      },
      "unpaved": {
        "text": "10,278 km (2012)"
      }
    },
    "Waterways": {
      "text": "4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River) (2010)"
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "11"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1"
      },
      "foreign-owned": {
        "text": "3 (Austria 1,  Ireland 1, Turkey 1) (2010)"
      }
    },
    "Ports and terminals": {
      "major seaport(s)": {
        "text": "Caspian Sea - Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev)"
      },
      "river port(s)": {
        "text": "Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk) (Irtysh River)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military branches": {
      "text": "Kazakhstan Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Mobile Forces, Air Defense Forces (2013)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "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; 19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; military cadets in intermediate (ages 15-17) and higher (ages 17-21) education institutes are classified as military service personnel (2016)"
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "text": "1.21% of GDP (2012) ++ 0.97% of GDP (2011) ++ 1.21% of GDP (2010)"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Disputes - international": {
      "text": "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": {
        "text": "7,909 (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "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"
    }
  }
}