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home of borat
{{Cleanup|date=May 2007}} {{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;"> Қазақстан Республикасы <br/>''Qazaqstan Respublïkası''<br/> Республика Казахстан <br/>''Respublika Kazakhstan''</span>
screw u uzbekastan
|conventional_long_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;">Republic of Kazakhstan</span>
|common_name = Kazakhstan
|national_motto = |image_flag = Flag of Kazakhstan.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of Kazakhstan (flat).svg
|image_map = LocationKazakhstan.png
|national_anthem = ]
|official_languages = ] (state language), ]
|capital = ]
|latd=51 |latm=10 |latNS=N |longd=71 |longm=30 |longEW=E
|largest_city = ]
|government_type = ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|area_rank = 9th
|area_magnitude = 1 E12
|area = 2,724,900
|areami² = 1,052,085 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|percent_water = 1.7
|population_estimate = 15,217,700
|population_estimate_year = January 2006
|population_estimate_rank = 62nd
|population_census = 14,953,100
|population_census_year = 1999
|population_density = 5.4
|population_densitymi² = 14.0 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|population_density_rank = 215th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP = $125.5 billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 56th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $9,294
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 66th
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note = from the ]
|established_event1 = 1st Khanate
|established_date1 = ] as ]
|established_event2 = 2nd Khanate
|established_date2 = ] as ]
|established_event3 = 3rd Khanate
|established_date3 = ] as ]
|established_event4 = ]
|established_date4 = ], ]
|established_event5 = Finalized
|established_date5 = ], ]
|HDI_year = 2004
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.774
|HDI_rank = 79th
|HDI_category = <font color="#FFCC00">medium</font>
|Gini = 33.9
|Gini_year = 2003
|Gini_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
|currency = ]
|currency_code = KZT
|country_code = KAZ
|time_zone = West/East
|utc_offset = +5/+6
|time_zone_DST = ''not observed''
|utc_offset_DST = +5/+6
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 7
|footnotes =
}}

'''Kazakhstan''', also spelled '''Kazakstan''' ({{lang-kk|Қазақстан}}, ''Qazaqstan'', {{IPA2|qɑzɑqˈstɑn}}; {{lang-ru|Казахстан}}, ''Kazakhstán'', {{IPA2|kəzʌxˈstan}}), officially the '''Republic of Kazakhstan''', is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of northern and central ]. Its territory of 2,717,300&nbsp;km² (bigger than Western Europe), the ninth largest in the world, is ] to the west of the ] in eastern-most ].

Prior to full independence, Kazakhstan existed as the ] in the ]. It is now a member of the ], bordering ], the ], and the ]n countries ], ] and ], with a coastline on the ].

Kazakhstan is the ], but it is only the ] with fewer than ] (15&nbsp;per sq. mi.). The population in 2006 is estimated at 15,300,000, down from 16,464,464 in 1989,<ref></ref> due to the emigration of ethnic ] and ]s. Much of the country's land consists of semi-] (]) terrain.

==History==
{{main|History of Kazakhstan}}

===Kazakh Khanate===

Kazakhstan has been inhabited since the ], generally by nomads practising ], for which the region's climate and terrain are best suited. Historians believe the vast steppes of Kazakhstan were where humans first ]. Following the Mongolian invasion in the early thirteenth century CE, administrative districts were established under the ], which eventually became the territories of the ] (Ak Horde). The major medieval cities of ] and ] were founded along the northern route of the ].

Traditional nomadic life on the vast ] and semi-desert lands was characterized by a constant search for new pasture to support the livestock-based economy. The Kazakhs emerged from a mixture of tribes living in the region in about the fifteenth century and by the middle of the sixteenth century had developed a common language, culture, and economy. The area was a bone of contention between the Kazakh emirs and the ] for many centuries. In the early 1600s, the Kazakh Khanate separated into the Great, Middle and Little (or Small) Hordes (jüz) — confederations based on extended family networks. Political disunion, competition among the hordes, and a lack of an internal market weakened the Kazakh Khanate.

During the 16th and 17th centuries Kazakhs fought ] and ]. The beginning of the 18th century marked the zenith of the Kazakh Khanate. During this period the Little Horde participated in the 1723 - 1730 war against the Dzungars, following their "Great Disaster" invasion of Kazakh territories. Under te leadership of ], Kazakh militias defeated Dzungar forces at the Bulanty river in 1726 and in the battle of Anrakay in 1729.

===Russian Empire===

In the nineteenth century, the ] began to expand, and spread into ]. The "]" period is generally regarded as running from approximately 1813 to the ]. Following the ] of 1917 a second less intensive phase followed. The ]s effectively ruled over most of the territory belonging to what is now the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Russian Empire introduced a system of administration and built military garrisons and barracks in its effort to establish a presence in Central Asia in the so-called "]" between it and the ]. Russia enforced the Russian language in all schools and governmental organizations. Russian efforts to impose its system aroused the resentment of the ], and by the 1860s, most Kazakhs resisted Russia's annexation largely because of the disruption it wrought upon the traditional nomadic lifestyle and livestock-based economy. The Kazakh national movement, which began in the late 1800s, sought to preserve the native language and identity.

From the 1890s onwards ever-larger numbers of Slavic settlers began ] the territory of present-day Kazakhstan, in particular the province of ]. The number of settlers rose still further once the ] from ] to ] was completed in 1906, and the movement was overseen and encouraged by a specially created Migration Department (Переселенческое Управление) in St. Petersburg.

The competition for land and water which ensued between the Kazakhs and the newcomers caused great resentment against colonial rule during the final years of Tsarist Russia, with the most serious uprising, the ], occurring in 1916. The Kazakhs attacked Russian and ] villages, killing indiscriminately. The Russians' revenge was merciless. A military force drove 300,000 Kazakhs to flee into the mountains or to ]. When appr. 80,000 of them returned the next year, many of them were slaughtered by Tsarist forces. During the 1921-22 ], another million Kazakhs died from starvation

===Soviet Union===

Although there was a brief period of ] during the tumultuous period following the collapse of the Russian Empire, the Kazakhs eventually succumbed to ] rule. In 1920, the area of present-day Kazakhstan became an ] within Russia.

Soviet repression of the traditional elite, along with forced ] in late 1920s–1930s, brought ] and led to unrest. Between 1926 and 1939, the Kazakh population declined by 22%, due to ], ] and out-migration. Soviet rule, however, took hold, and a ] apparatus steadily worked to fully integrate Kazakhstan into the Soviet system. In 1936 Kazakhstan became a ].

Kazakhstan experienced population inflows of millions ]d from other parts of the Soviet Union during the 1930s and 1940s; many of the ] victims were deported to Siberia or Kazakhstan merely due to their ethnic heritage or beliefs, and were in many cases interned in some of the biggest ]. (See also: ], ].) The ] (SSR) contributed five national divisions to the Soviet Union's ] effort. In 1947, two years after the end of the war, the ], the USSR's main ] ] was founded near the city of ].

The period of World War II marked an increase in ] and increased ] in support of the war effort. At the time of Soviet leader ]'s death, however, Kazakhstan still had an overwhelmingly agricultural-based economy. In 1953, Soviet leader ] initiated the ambitious "]" program to turn the traditional pasturelands of Kazakhstan into a major grain-producing region for the Soviet Union. The Virgin Lands policy, along with later modernizations under Soviet leader ], accelerated the development of the agricultural sector, which remains the source of livelihood for a large percentage of Kazakhstan's population.

Growing tensions within Soviet society led to a demand for political and economic reforms, which came to a head in the 1980s. In December 1986, mass demonstrations by young ethnic Kazakhs took place in ] to protest the replacement of the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan ] with ], an ethnic ] from the Russian Federation. Soviet troops suppressed the unrest, and dozens of demonstrators were jailed or killed. In the waning days of Soviet rule, discontent continued to grow and find expression under Soviet leader ]'s policy of '']''.

===Independence===

Caught up in the groundswell of Soviet republics seeking greater autonomy, Kazakhstan declared its ] as a republic within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in October 1990. Following the August 1991 abortive ] attempt in ] and the subsequent ], Kazakhstan declared ] on ], ].

The years following independence have been marked by significant reforms to the Soviet command-economy and political ] on power. Under ], who initially came to power in 1989 as the head of the ] and was eventually elected President in 1991, Kazakhstan has made significant progress toward developing ]. The country has enjoyed significant economic growth since 2000, partly due to its large oil, gas, and mineral reserves.

But, democracy has not improved much since 1991. "In July 2000, Kazakhstan's parliament passed a law granting President Nursultan Nazarbayev lifetime powers and privileges, including access to future presidents, immunity from criminal prosecution, and influence over domestic and foreign policy. Critics say he has become a de facto "president for life."<ref name = "WW3">.</ref><ref name = "CACI">, ] ].</ref> Over the course of his ten years in power, Nazarbayev has repeatedly censored the press through arbitrary use of "slander" laws<ref name = "RFE">RFE Newsline, ] ].</ref>, blocked access to opposition web sites (] ]), banned the ] religious sect (] ]), drawn criticism from Amnesty International for excessive executions following specious trials (] ]) and harsh prison conditions (] ]), and refused demands that the governors of Kazakhstan's 14 oblasts be elected, rather than appointed by the president (] ])."

==Politics==
]]]
{{main|Politics of Kazakhstan}}

===Political system===
Kazakhstan is a ]al ]. The president is the ]. The president also is the ] of the armed forces and may ] legislation that has been passed by the ]. President ], who has been in office since Kazakhstan became independent, won a new 7-year term in a 1999 election that the ] said fell short of international standards<ref name="OSCE report into the 1999 Kazakhstan presidential election">.</ref>. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Ministers and serves as Kazakhstan's head of government. There are three deputy prime ministers and 16 ministers in the Cabinet. ] became the Prime Minister in June 2003 but resigned ] ].

Kazakhstan has a bicameral Parliament, made up of the ] (the ]) and ] (the ]). Single mandate districts popularly elect 67 seats in the Majilis; there also are ten members elected by party-list vote rather than by single mandate districts. The Senate has 39 members. Two senators are selected by each of the elected assemblies (]) of Kazakhstan's 16 principal administrative divisions (14 regions, or oblasts, plus the cities of Astana and Almaty). The president appoints the remaining seven senators. Majilis deputies and the government both have the right of legislative initiative, though the government proposes most legislation considered by the Parliament.

===Elections===
Elections to the Majilis in September 2004 yielded a lower house dominated by the pro-government ], headed by President Nazarbayev. Two other parties considered sympathetic to the president, including the agrarian-industrial bloc ] and the ], founded by President Nazarbayev’s daughter, won most of the remaining seats. Opposition parties, which were officially registered and competed in the elections, won a single seat during elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said fell short of international standards.

In 1999, Kazakhstan applied for observer status at the ] ]. The official response of the Assembly was that Kazakhstan could apply for full membership, because it is partially located in Europe, but that they would not be granted any status whatsoever at the Council until their ] and ] records improved.

On ], ], ] was reelected in a landslide victory. The electoral commission announced that he had won over 90% of the vote. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) concluded the election did not meet international standards despite some improvements in the administration of the election. ] reported that ] observers, responsible in overseeing 25 polling stations in ], found that voting in those polls was conducted in a "transparent and fair" manner. Furthermore, Western governments were muted in their criticism of the election.

===Kazakh Intelligence Services===
Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB) was established on ] ]. It includes the Service of Internal Security, Military Counterintelligence, Border Guard, several Commando units, and Foreign Intelligence (Barlau). The latter is considered by many as the most important part of KNB. Its director is ] Omirtai Bitimov.

==Administrative divisions==
{{main|Provinces of Kazakhstan}}
Kazakhstan is divided into ] (''oblys'') and three municipal districts (''qala'')*:
], ]*, ] (]), ], ]*, ], ] (]), ]*, ] (]; formerly Shevchenko), ] (]), ], ], ], ], ] (]; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), ] (]), ] (]; known as Dzhambul in the Soviet period, but before that as ]).

''Note:'' 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 ] entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of twenty years an area of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300&nbsp;sq.&nbsp;mi); enclosing the ] and the city of Bayqongyr (formerly ]). Recently, the lease of Bayqongyr facilities was extended through 2050.{{Fact|date=March 2007}}

Each is headed by an Akim (provincial governor) appointed by the president. Municipal Akims are appointed by oblast Akims. The Government of Kazakhstan transferred its capital from Almaty to Astana on ], ].

==Geography==
]
{{main|Geography of Kazakhstan|List of cities in Kazakhstan}}
With an area of 2.7&nbsp;million ]s<!--per ]--> (1.05&nbsp;million ]), Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world and the largest ] in the world. It is equivalent to the size of ]. It shares borders of 6,846&nbsp;]s<!--per ]--> (4,254&nbsp;]) with ], 2,203 kilometers (1,369&nbsp;mi) with ], 1,533&nbsp;kilometers (953&nbsp;mi) with the ], 1,051&nbsp;kilometers (653&nbsp;mi) with ], and 379&nbsp;kilometers (235&nbsp;mi) with ]. Major cities include ] (capital since December 1997), ] (the former capital), ], ] (Chimkent), ] (Semipalatinsk) and ].

] river in ] province.]]
The terrain extends west to east from the ] to the ] and north to south from the plains of ] to the oases and deserts of ]. The ], with an area of around 804,500&nbsp;square kilometres (310,600&nbsp;sq.&nbsp;mi), occupies one-third of the country and is the world's largest dry ] region. The steppe is characterized by large areas of ]s and sandy regions. Important rivers and lakes include: the ], ], ], ], ], ] and gorge, ], and ].

The climate is humid ], with hot summers and colder winters. Precipitation varies between arid and semi-arid conditions.

The ] is 150-300 metres deep and 154 kilometres long, cutting through the red ] plateau and stretching along the ] gorge in northern ] ']' (200 km east of ]) at {{coor dms|43|21|1.16|N|79|4|49.28|E|}}
. The steep canyon slopes, columns and arches rise to heights of 150-300 m. The inaccessibility of the canyon provided a safe haven for a rare ash tree that survived the Ice Age and is nowadays also grown in some other areas.

==Economy==
] (built 1998).]]
{{main|Economy of Kazakhstan}}

===Overview===
The government of Kazakhstan plans to double its ] (GDP) by 2008 and triple by 2015 compared to 2000. The GDP growth was stable in the last five years, and was higher than 9%. GDP growth in 2005 was 9.2%, and 9.4% in 2004. Kazakhstan's economy grew by 9.2% in 2003, buoyed by high world ] prices. GDP grew 9.5% in 2002; it grew 13.2% in 2001, up from 9.8% in 2000.

External opinion generally considers Kazakhstan's ] to be well-managed. Its principal challenges in 2002 were to manage strong foreign currency inflows without sparking ]. In 2003 inflation did not remain under control, registering at 6.8% instead of the forecast level of 5.3%-6.0%. In 2002 inflation was 6.6%, compared to 6.4% in 2001. Because of its strong ] performance and financial health, in 2000 Kazakhstan became the first former Soviet republic to repay all of its debt to the ] (IMF), 7 years ahead of schedule. In March 2002, the ] graduated Kazakhstan to ] status under ]. The change in status recognized substantive market economy reforms in the areas of currency convertibility, wage rate determination, openness to foreign investment, and government control over the means of production and allocation of resources.

In September 2002 Kazakhstan became the first country in the ] to receive an investment-grade ] from a major international credit rating agency. As of late December 2003, Kazakhstan's gross foreign debt was about $22.9 billion. Total governmental debt was $4.2 billion. This amounts to 14% of the GDP. There has been a noticeable reduction in the ratio of debt to GDP observed in past years; the ratio of total governmental debt to GDP in 2000 was 21.7%, in 2001 it was 17.5%, and in 2002 it was 15.4%.

The upturn in ], combined with the results of earlier ] and financial sector reforms, dramatically improved government finances from the 1999 ] level of 3.5% of GDP to a deficit of 1.2% of GDP in 2003. Government revenues grew from 19.8% of GDP in 1999 to 22.6% of GDP in 2001, but decreased to 16.2% of GDP in 2003. In 2000, Kazakhstan adopted a new ] in an effort to consolidate these gains. On ] ] the Law on Changes to Tax Code was adopted, which reduced ]. The ] fell from 16% to 15%, the social tax from 21% to 20%, and the personal ] from 30% to 20%. Kazakhstan furthered its reforms by adopting a new land code on ] ], and a customs code on ] ].

], Kazakhstan's currency.]]
] is the leading economic sector. Production of crude oil and ] condensate in Kazakhstan amounted to 51.2 million ]s in 2003, which was 8.6% more than in 2002. Kazakhstan raised oil and gas condensate exports to 44.3 million tons in 2003, 13% higher than in 2002. Gas production in Kazakhstan in 2003 amounted to 13.9 billion cubic meters (491 billion&nbsp;]), up 22.7% compared to 2002, including natural gas production of 7.3 billion cubic meters (258 billion&nbsp;]); Kazakhstan holds about 4 billion tons of proven recoverable oil reserves and 2,000 ]s (480&nbsp;]) of gas. Industry analysts believe that planned expansion of oil production, coupled with the development of new ], will enable the country to produce as much as 3 million barrels (477,000 m³) per day by 2015, lifting Kazakhstan into the ranks of the world's top 10 oil-producing nations. Kazakhstan's 2003 oil exports were valued at more than $7 billion, representing 65% of overall exports and 24% of the GDP. Major oil and gas fields and their recoverable ] are ] with 7 billion barrels (1.1&nbsp;km³); ] with 8 billion barrels (1.3&nbsp;km³) and 1,350&nbsp;km³ of natural gas); and ] with 7 to 9 billion barrels (1.1 to 1.4&nbsp;km³).

Kazakhstan instituted an ambitious ] reform program in 1998. As of ] ], the pension assets were about $4.1 billion. There are 16 saving pension funds in the republic. The State Accumulating Pension Fund, the only state-owned fund, could be ] as early as 2006. The country's unified financial regulatory agency oversees and regulates the pension funds. The pension funds' growing demand for quality investment outlets triggered rapid development of the debt ] market. Pension fund capital is being invested almost exclusively in corporate and government ], including Government of Kazakhstan Eurobonds. The Kazakhstani banking system is developing rapidly. The banking system's capitalization now exceeds $1 billion. The National Bank has introduced deposit insurance in its campaign to strengthen the banking sector. Several major foreign banks have branches in Kazakhstan, including ], ], and ].

===Agriculture===
], Kazakhstan.]]
{{main|Agriculture in Kazakhstan}}
] accounted for 13.6% of Kazakhstan's GDP in 2003. ] (Kazakhstan is the sixth-largest producer in the world) and ] are the most important agricultural commodities. Agricultural land occupies more than 846,000 square kilometres (327,000&nbsp;sq.&nbsp;mi). The available agricultural land consists of 205,000 square kilometres (79,000&nbsp;sq.&nbsp;mi) of arable land and 611,000 square kilometres (236,000&nbsp;sq.&nbsp;mi) of ] and hay land. Chief livestock products are ]s, ], ], and ]. The country's major crops include ], ], ], and ]. Wheat ]s, a major source of ], rank among the leading commodities in Kazakhstan's export trade. In 2003 Kazakhstan harvested 17.6 million tons of grain in gross, 2.8% higher compared to 2002. Kazakh agriculture still has many environmental problems from mismanagement during its years in the ]. Some ] is produced in the mountains to the east of Almaty.

]'' apple in Kazakhstan]]
Kazakhstan is thought to be part of the original home of the ], particularly the wild ] of ''Malus domestica'' is '']''. It has no common name in English, but is known in Kazakhstan, where it is native, as 'alma'; in fact, the region where it is thought to originate is called ], or 'father of the apples'. This tree is still found wild in the mountains of ] in southern Kazakhstan, ], ], and ], ].

===Natural resources===
Kazakhstan has an abundant supply of accessible mineral and fossil fuel resources. Development of ], ], and mineral extraction has attracted most of the over $40 billion in foreign investment in Kazakhstan since 1993 and accounts for some 57% of the nation's industrial output (or approximately 13% of gross domestic product). According to some estimates<ref name="Homestead">.</ref>, Kazakhstan has the second largest ], ], ], and ] reserves, the third largest ] reserves, the fifth largest ] reserves, and ranks in the top ten for ], ], and ]. It is also an exporter of ]s.

In total, there are 160 deposits with over 2.7 billion tons of petroleum. Oil explorations have shown that the deposits on the ] are only a small part of a much larger deposit. It is said that 3.5 billion tons of oil and 2.5 trillion cubic meters of gas could be found in that area. Overall the estimate of Kazakhstan's oil deposits is 6.1 billion tons. However, there are only 3 ] within the country, situated in ], ], and ]. These are not capable of processing the crude output. Instead, much of it is exported to Russia.

==Foreign relations==
] with ], President of ].]]
{{main|Foreign relations of Kazakhstan}}
Kazakhstan has stable relationships with all of its neighbors. Kazakhstan is also a member of the ], ], Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and ](OIC). It is an active participant in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) ] program. Kazakhstan is also a member of the ], the ] (ECO) and the ] along with ], ], ], ], and ]. The nations of Kazakhstan, ], ], and ] established the ] in 2000 to re-energize earlier efforts at harmonizing trade tariffs and the creation of a free trade zone under a customs union.

Since independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has pursued what is known as the multidimensional foreign policy (многовекторная внешняя политика), seeking equally good relations with two large neighbors, Russia and China, and the United States and the West generally. The policy has yielded results in the oil and gas sector, where companies from the U.S., Russia, China, and Europe are present at all major fields, and in the multidimensional directions of oil export pipelines out of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan possesses the most major Soviet cosmodrome, where the first man was launched in space
as well as Soviet space shuttle ] and the well-known space station ]. Russia currently leases approximately 6,000&nbsp;km² (2,300&nbsp;mi²) of territory enclosing the ] space launch site in south central Kazakhstan.

On ], ], Kazakhstan became a space-faring nation in its own right when it launched its first commercial satellite, ], from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on a Russian-built booster rocket.&nbsp;

In September 2006, President Nazarbayev visited the United States, where he met President George W. Bush at the Oval Office and several key members of the U.S. Administration and Congress. While in Washington, President Nazarbayev unveiled the Monument of Independence of Kazakhstan and addressed a large gathering of the political and business elite on Kazakhstan's approach to nuclear nonproliferation.

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Kazakhstan}}

===Population===
The population is estimated to be 63% ethnic ] and 23% ethnic ], with an amazingly rich array of other groups represented, including ], ], ], ], and ]. Many minorities such as ], ], ], ] and Russian political opponents of the regime had been deported to Kazakhstan in the 1930s and 1940s by Stalin. One of the biggest Soviet ]s existed in Kazakhstan. Significant Russian immigration also connected with ] and ] during ] era. There is also a small but active Jewish community. Before 1991 there were one million ] in Kazakhstan; most of them emigrated to ] following the breakup of the ]. The main religious groups are ] (mainly ]) 47%, ] 44%, ] 2%, and other 7%.&nbsp;

Kazakhstan is a bilingual country: the ], spoken by 64.4% of the population, has the status of the "state" language, while ] is declared the "official" language, and is used routinely in business.

The 1990s were marked by the emigration of many of the country's Europeans, a process that began in the 1970s; this was a major factor in giving the autochthonous Kazakhs a majority along with higher Kazakh birthrates and ethnic Kazakh immigration from the ], ], and ]. In the early twenty first century, Kazakhstan has become one of the leading nations in ]s.

'''Table: Ethnic Composition of Kazakhstan (census data)'''<ref>Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights/
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/minorities/docs/WP5.doc</ref> <ref>Alexandrov, Mikhail. ''Uneasy Alliance: Relations Between Russia and Kazakhstan in the Post-Soviet Era, 1992-1997.'' Greenwood Press, 1999, ISBN 978-0313309656</ref> <ref>Agency on Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan - "Demographic situation in the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2006"/
http://www.stat.kz/index.php?lang=rus&uin=1176791556&chapter=1176791809 ''(in Russian)''</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
!align="left"| Nationality !! 1897 % !! 1911 % !! 1926 % !! 1939 % !! 1959 % !! 1970 % !! 1979 % !! 1989 % !! 1999 % !! 2006 %</tr>
|align="left"| Kazakh || 73.9 || 60.8 || 59.5 || 38.0 || 30.0 || 32.6 || 36.0 || 39.7 || 53.4 || 59.2</tr>
|align="left"| Russian || 12.8 || 27.0 || 18.0 || 40.2 || 42.7 || 42.4 || 40.8 || 37.4 || 29.9 || 25.6</tr>
|align="left"| Ukrainian || * || * || 12.4 || 10.8 || 8.2 || 7.2 || 6.1 || 5.4 || 3.7 || 2.9</tr>
|align="left"| German || - || - || 0.7 || 1.5 || 7.1 || 6.6 || 6.1 || 5.8 || 2.4 || 1.4</tr>
|align="left"| Tartar || 1.1 || 1.1 || 0.7 || 1.6 || 1.5 || 2.2 || 2.1 || 2.0 || 1.7 || 1.5</tr>
|align="left"| Uzbek || 1.3 || 1.1 || 3.2 || 1.7 || 1.1 || 1.7 || 1.8 || 2.0 || 2.5 || 2.9</tr>
|align="left"| Belorussian || * || * || - || 0.5 || 1.2 || 1.5 || 1.2 || 1.1 || 0.8 || -</tr>
|align="left"| Uighur || - || - || - || - || 0.6 || 0.9 || 1.0 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 1.5</tr>
|align="left"| Korean || - || - || - || - || 0.8 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 0.7 || -</tr>
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> For 1897 and 1911 "Russians" include all Slavs.

===Kazakhs and Kazakhstanis (terminology)===

For many years, Russians often outnumbered the Kazakhs in many parts of the area known today as Kazakhstan. Even now, Russians and people of other ethnic origins play an important role in the economy and government and consider the country their home.

The Russian term '''казахстанец''' (Kazakhstani) was coined to describe all inhabitants of Kazakhstan, including non-Kazakhs.<ref>{{cite journal| last = Surucu | first = Cengiz | title = Modernity, Nationalism, Resistance: Identity Politics in Post-Soviet Kazakhstan | journal = ] |date= December 2002 | pages = 385-402}}</ref> The word "Kazakh" is generally used to refer to people of actual Kazakh descent (including those living in China, Afghanistan, and other Central Asian countries).

Ethnicon Kazakh is derived from an ancient Turkic word "independent, a free spirit" and fully reflects the nature of the Kazakh people, who have been in all times aspiring to an independent, autonomous existence. It is the result of Kazakhs' nomadic horseback culture and is related to the term "]". The ]/] (See ]) word "stan" means "land" or "place of".

==Education==
{{main|Education in Kazakhstan}}
Education is universal and mandatory through to the ] and the ]. Education consists in three main educational phases: ] (forms 1–4), basic general education (forms 5–9) and senior level education (forms 10–11 or 12) divided into continued general education and professional education. (Primary education is preceded by one year of pre-school education.) These three levels of education can be followed in one institution or in different ones (e.g. primary school, then secondary school). Recently, several secondary schools, specialized schools, ]s, ]s, ]s, linguistic and technical gymnasiums, have been founded. Secondary professional education is offered in special professional or technical schools, lyceums or colleges and vocational schools.

At present, there are universities, academies, and institutes, conservatories, higher schools and higher colleges. There are three main levels: basic higher education that provides the fundamentals of the chosen field of study and leads to the award of the Bachelor degree; specialized higher education after which students are awarded the Specialist's Diploma; and scientific-pedagogical higher education which leads to the Master's Degree. Postgraduate education leads to the Kandidat Nauk (Candidate of Sciences) and the Doctor of Sciences. With the adoption of the Laws on Education and on Higher Education, a private sector has been established and several private institutions have been licensed.

==Culture==
] in traditional dress demonstrate Kazakhstan's ] culture by playing a ]ing game, '']'' ("Chase the Girl"), one of a number of traditional games played on horseback&nbsp;.]]
{{main|Culture of Kazakhstan}}
{{See also|Music of Kazakhstan}}
Before the Russian conquest, the Kazaks had a well-articulated culture based on their nomadic pastoral economy. Although Islam was introduced to most of the Kazaks in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the religion was not fully assimilated until much later. As a result, it coexisted with earlier elements of Tengriism. Traditional Kazak belief held that separate spirits inhabited and animated the earth, sky, water, and fire, as well as domestic animals. To this day, particularly honored guests in rural settings are treated to a feast of freshly killed lamb. Such guests are sometimes asked to bless the lamb and to ask its spirit for permission to partake of its flesh. Besides lamb, many other traditional foods retain symbolic value in Kazak culture.

Because animal husbandry was central to the Kazaks' traditional lifestyle, most of their nomadic practices and customs relate in some way to livestock. Traditional curses and blessings invoked disease or fecundity among animals, and good manners required that a person ask first about the health of a man's livestock when greeting him and only afterward inquire about the human aspects of his life.

===Public holidays===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
!width="90px"| Date !!width="190px"| English name
! Local name !!
|-
| ] || ]
| Жаңа жыл
|style="font-size:95%;"|
|-
| ] || Eastern Orthodox ]
| Рождество Христово
|rowspan="2" style="font-size:95%;"| Not an official state holiday, but usually taken as a vacation.
|-
|style="font-size:95%;"| Last day of ] || Qurban Ait*
| Құрбан айт
|-
| ] || ]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"| Халықаралық әйелдер күні
|style="font-size:95%;"|
|-
| ] || ]#
| Наурыз мейрамы
|style="font-size:95%;"| Traditionally a springtime holiday marking the beginning of a new year, sometimes as late as ].
|-
| ] || Kazakhstan People’s ]
| Қазақстан Ұлттарының Бірлік Күні
|style="font-size:95%;"|
|-
| ] || ]
| Жеңіс күні
|style="font-size:95%;"| A holiday in the former ] carried over to present-day Kazakhstan and other former republics.
|-
| ] || ]
| Конституция күні
|style="font-size:95%;"|
|-
| ] || ]
| Республика күні
|style="font-size:95%;"|
|-
| ] || ]
|
|style="font-size:95%;"|
|-
|}
{{smaller|* ], the Islamic Feast of the Sacrifice.}}

==See also==
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{{portalpar|Kazakhstan|Flag of Kazakhstan.svg}}

==Bibliography==
*''Kazakhs'' by Martha Brill Olcott
*''Epicenter of Peace'' by Nursultan Nazarbayev
*''Kazakhstan: Coming of Age'' by Michael Furgus and Janar Jandosova
*''Kazakhstan: Power and the Elite'' Sally Cummings
*''Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise'' Martha Brill Olcott
*''Lonely Planet Guide: Central Asia'' by Paul Clammer, Michael Kohn and Bradley Mayhew
*''The Lost Heart of Asia'' by Colin Thubron
*''Once in Kazakhstan : The Snow Leopard Emerges'' Keith Rosten
*''Post-Soviet Chaos: Violence and Dispossession in Kazakhstan'' by Joma Nazpary
*''The Russian Colonization of Kazakhstan'' by George Demko
*''Uneasy Alliance: Relations Between Russia and Kazakhstan in the Post-Soviet Era, 1992-1997'' by Mikhail Alexandrov
*''Journey into Kazakhstan: The True Face of the Nazabayev Regime'' Alexandra George
*''Law and Custom in the Steppe'' by Virginia Martin
*''Silk Road to Ruin: Is Central Asia the New Middle East'' by Ted Rall

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Kazakhstan}}
*
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'''Government'''
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'''Overviews'''
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* includes links to various reports
* directory category
* development issues
* last updated March 1996
* - ]

'''News'''
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'''Travel'''
*{{wikitravel}}

'''Other links'''
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{{Countries of Asia}}
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{{Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)}}
{{Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC)}}
{{Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)|state=collapsed}}
{{Turkic-speaking regions}}
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Revision as of 00:55, 11 July 2007

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