Europe / Caspian / CIS

Kazakhstan flag
Summary | Profile

Country profile: Kazakhstan

Location: Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
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 oases and desert in Central Asia
Size: 2717300 sq. km total (Land area: 2669800 sq. km  Water area: 47500 sq.km)
Population: 15,340,533 (July 2008 est.)
Languages: Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
Government: republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
Capital city: Astana
Legal system: based on Islamic law and Roman law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Currency: tenge (KZT)
Licensing:

Country profile

Kazakhstan has the Caspian Sea region's largest recoverable crude oil reserves, and its production accounts for over half of the roughly 2.8 million barrels per day (bbl/d) currently being produced in the region (including regional oil producers Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan). Kazakhstan oil exports are the foundation of the country’s economy and have ensured that average real GDP growth has stayed above 9 percent for the last 6 years.

Real GDP growth during 2007 averaged 9.5 percent. Kazakhstan's growing petroleum industry accounts for roughly 30 percent of the country’s GDP and over half of its export revenues. In an effort to reduce Kazakhstan's exposure to price fluctuations for energy and commodities exports, the government created the National Oil Fund of Kazakhstan. Due to high oil prices the international reserves and assets in the oil fund have doubled in the last year to $20 billion in October 2007.

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.

 

Energy production and consumption


Oil Gas
Production: 1 million bbl/day (2005 est.)  
Consumption: 234,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)  
Exports: 1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)  
Imports: 113,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)  
Reserves: 9 billion bbl/day (2006 est.)  
Major fields:



Kazakhstan - recent news

23 Apr 25
Kazakhstan: Nostrum Oil & Gas announces full year results for Y/E 31 December 2024
Nostrum Oil & Gas, an independent mixed-asset energy company with world class gas processing facilities and export hub in north-west Kazakhstan, has announced its results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2024
01 Apr 25
Kazakhstan: Weekly inspection of Kashagan Gas Processing Plant construction by QazaqGaz leadership: Accelerated progress
The leadership of the national company conducts weekly inspections of the construction progress at the Kashagan Gas Processing Plant, which will have an annual capacity of 1 billion cubic meters. Currently, the workforce has increased to 1,260 personnel, with more than 200 pieces of equipment deployed on-site.
06 Mar 25
Kazakhstan: Fluor-led JV supports successful completion and startup of major project at Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan
Fluor Corporation has successfully led a joint venture that supported the completion and startup of Tengizchevroil’s (TCO) Future Growth Project (FGP) at the Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan.
27 Jan 25
Kazakhstan: Chevron achieves first oil at Future Growth Project in Kazakhstan
Chevron has announced today that its 50 percent owned affiliate Tengizchevroil LLP (TCO) has started oil production at its Future Growth Project (FGP) located at the Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan. The FGP expansion aims to increase crude oil production by 260,000 barrels per day at full capacity.
22 Nov 24
Kazakhstan: MOL Group signs cooperation agreement with the Kazakhstani national oil company, KazMunayGas
MOL Group and Kazakhstani national oil company KazMunayGas (KMG) have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly explore opportunities in the oil, gas and petrochemical sector. This agreement builds on the successful joint venture in Kazakhstan, where MOL, KMG and Sinopec from China have been producing gas and gas condensate at the Rozhkovskoye field.

Kazakhstan - more news

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