Kazakhstan: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

Outback cattle flown to Kazakhstan • Nov. 13, 2026, 12:07 AM ET (ABC News (Australia))

New aviation deals raise flight limits between China and Central Asia • Nov. 11, 2026, 2:45 AM ET (Euronews)

Israel, Kazakhstan sign double taxation agreement after decades of negotiations • Nov. 3, 2026, 8:16 PM ET (Jerusalem Post)

Ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan face legacy of the Soviet Union • Nov. 1, 2026, 8:02 AM ET (Deutsche Welle)

Turkic states back Asia-Europe routes amid new opportunities • Oct. 30, 2026, 12:44 PM ET (Euronews)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Kazakhstan • Qazaqstan Respublikasï • Kazakstan
Head Of State And Government	President: Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, assisted by Prime Minister: Oljas Bektenov
Capital	Astana
Population	(2026 est.) 20,618,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 444.159 Kazakhstani tenge
Form Of Government	unitary republic with a unicameral legislature (Quryltai [145])
Official Languages	Kazakh; Russian¹
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Qazaqstan Respublikasy (Kazakh); Respublika Kazakhstan (Russian) (Republic of Kazakhstan)
Total Area (Sq Km)	2,724,900
Total Area (Sq Mi)	1,052,084
Monetary Unit	tenge (T)
Population Rank	(2026) 65
Population Projection 2030	20,156,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 19.6
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2026) 7.6
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 62.2% • Rural: (2024) 37.8%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2023) 71 years • Female: (2023) 79.1 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2024) 248,963
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2024) 12,090
¹Russian has official equal status per article 9.2 of constitution.

Photos and Videos

Political map of Kazakhstan showing international and provincial boundaries, major cities, and provincial capitals. The national capital, Astana, is marked with a star. Neighboring countries including Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are labeled, and the Caspian Sea borders the west. An inset locator map highlights Kazakhstan's position within Eurasia.

A large sand dune rises steeply on the left, with flat grassland and dark rocky hills in the background under a partly cloudy sky in Altyn-Emel National Park, Kazakhstan.

Physical map of Kazakhstan highlighting major geographic features such as the Caspian Depression, Ustyurt Plateau, Kazakh Uplands, Betpaqdala and Qyzylqum Deserts, Altai and Shu-Ile Mountains, and major lakes including the Aral Sea, Lake Balkhash, Lake Zaisan, and Lake Alakol. Neighboring countries and bodies of water are labeled, and a locator inset shows Kazakhstan's position within Eurasia. Elevation is indicated with color shading.

Map highlighting Kazakhstan in orange at the center of Central Asia, bordered by Russia to the north, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the west. Neighboring countries are labeled, and a small inset globe shows Kazakhstan's location within Eurasia.

Almaty, Kazakhstan: Ascension Cathedral

President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan speaks into a microphone at a podium against a blue background during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

Map of central Asia created for the 1997 Britannica Book of the Year.

The word Kazakhstan appears in white text over a blue background.

The saiga antelope's struggle for survival

National anthem of Kazakhstan

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Nursultan Nazarbayev Asia history of Central Asia Aqtöbe Qyzylorda collapse of the Soviet Union nation-state Shanghai Cooperation Organization Central Asia United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

president of Kazakhstan

President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan speaks into a microphone at a podium against a blue background during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

Nursultan Nazarbayev

president of Kazakhstan

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Mikhail Bakhtin

Russian philosopher and literary critic

A map of the continent of Asia, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities, as well as parts of Europe, Africa, and surrounding oceans.

Asia

continent

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Aqtöbe

oblast, Kazakhstan

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Qyzylorda

oblast, Kazakhstan

Central Asia

Central Asia

region, Asia

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Almaty

Kazakhstan

Qaraghandy

Qaraghandy

Kazakhstan

Downtown Astana, Kazakhstan

Astana

national capital, Kazakhstan

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Qaraghandy

oblast, Kazakhstan

Baikonur Cosmodrome

Baikonur Cosmodrome

space center, Kazakhstan

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Semey

Kazakhstan

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Shygys Qazaqstan

oblast, Kazakhstan

Oral

Oral

Kazakhstan

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Shymkent

Kazakhstan

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Turgay

region and former oblysy, Kazakhstan

default image

Taraz

Kazakhstan

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