Europe / Caspian / CIS

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

01 Dec 22	Kazakhstan: TotalEnergies implements its energy transition strategy TotalEnergies has implemented its energy transition strategy in Kazakhstan with, on the one hand, the sale of its affiliate Total E&P Dunga and, on the other the giant Mirny wind farm project that received the support of the French and Kazakh authorities.
08 Jun 22	Kazakhstan: Chevron and Kazmunaygas announce collaboration on lower carbon opportunities Chevron, through its subsidiary Chevron Munaigas, and KazMunayGas (KMG) have announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore potential lower carbon business opportunities in Kazakhstan. The collaboration between Chevron and KMG is part of the efforts from both companies to support Kazakhstan’s target vision to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
02 Mar 22	Eni inaugurates its second wind farm in Kazakhstan Eni, through its local renewable subsidiary Arm Wind has inaugurated the Badamsha 2 Wind Farm located in the Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan. Badamsha 2 Wind Farm was awarded to Eni following an auction managed by the Kazakh Ministry of Energy and entered commercial operation in September 2021, around 12 months after starting construction.
06 Sep 21	Kazakhstan: KazMunayGas and Shell agree on cooperation in Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage KazMunayGas (KMG) and Shell Kazakhstan have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the area of CO2 Capture Utilization and Storage Technology (CCUS).
27 Jul 21	Kazakhstan: Eni signs agreements with KazMunaiGas for the development of renewable, hydrogen and biofeedstock projects in the Country Eni and KazMunaiGas have signed cooperation agreements for the development of renewable, hydrogen and biofeedstock projects in Kazakhstan, strengthening and widening their historic partnership to the energy transition scope.