Part 387

Area: total area: 2,717,300 sq km land area: 2,669,800 sq km comparative area: slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 12,012 km border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) note: Kazakstan borders the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined

Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m highest point: Zhengis Shingy 7,439 m

Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: 57% forest and woodland: 4% other: 24%

Irrigated land: 23,080 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout the country and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which 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 salinization from faulty irrigation practices natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 16,916,463 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 2,576,204; female 2,486,937) 15-64 years: 63% (male 5,203,035; female 5,451,404) 65 years and over: 7% (male 384,341; female 814,542) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.15% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 19.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.65 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -10.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female all ages: 0.93 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 63.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.09 years male: 58.56 years female: 69.9 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.36 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kazakstani(s) adjective: Kazakstani

Ethnic divisions: Kazak (Qazaq) 41.9%, Russian 37%, Ukrainian 5.2%, German 4.7%, Uzbek 2.1%, Tatar 2%, other 7.1% (1991 official data)

Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages: Kazak (Qazaqz) official language spoken by over 40% of population, Russian (language of interethnic communication) spoken by two-thirds of population and used in everyday business

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 98% male: 99% female: 96%