Kazakhstan

Country	Kazakhstan
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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 is divided into two time zones
Population	15,399,437 (July 2009 est.)
GMT	+4/6
Location	Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
Area	total: 2,717,300 sq km land: 2,669,800 sq km water: 47,500 sq km
Ethnic groups	Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)
Religions	Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages	Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
Government type	republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
National holiday	Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
Constitution	first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995
Legal system	based on Islamic law and Roman law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Background	Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in 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. 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) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of political stability. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth; diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers.
Internet country code	.kz