Updated June 21, 2019
Kazakhstan
Overview
Kazakhstan consistently fail to meet international standards
Kazakhstan, a U.S. partner in areas such as
of impartiality, integrity, and transparency.
counterterrorism, regional security, and nuclear
nonproliferation, is a strategically situated country endowed
Figure 1. Map of Kazakhstan
with significant hydrocarbon and mineral resources. It
shares long borders with Russia to the north and China to
the east. Although sparsely populated, Kazakhstan is the
world’s ninth largest country by area. Previously a republic
of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan became independent in
1991. Since then, the country’s authoritarian government
has introduced significant market reforms, developed the
energy sector, and moved to diversify its economy.
Kazakhstan pursues a “multi-vector” foreign policy,
seeking to balance relations with major powers while
actively participating in international organizations.
Political Background

Government. Since independence, Kazakhstan’s political
Source: CRS
system has been dominated by Nursultan Nazarbayev, 78, a
former high-level Soviet official who became the country’s
Human Rights and Civil Society. Kazakhstan has a poor
first elected president in 1991. He was subsequently
human rights record. The government justifies restrictions
reelected four times, most recently in 2015, although none
on civil liberties as necessary for preserving stability.
of these elections were deemed free and fair by
According to the U.S. State Department, the government
international observers. Nazarbayev resigned as president in
actively persecutes political opponents and stifles civil
March 2019, but he maintains significant powers as head of
Kazakhstan’s
society groups and nongovernmental organizations.
influential Security Council and chairman of
Kazakhstan’s most significant human rights violations
the ruling Nur Otan (Radiant Fatherland) party. He was
include the lack of free and fair elections; restrictions on
succeeded by a hand-picked successor, Kassym-Jomart
freedoms of expression, religion, assembly, and association;
Tokayev. As First President and Elbasy (Leader of the
and the absence of an independent judiciary and due
Nation), Nazarbayev enjoys constitutionally protected
process. Transparency International ranks Kazakhstan 124th
status, including lifelong immunity from prosecution. His
out of 180 countries in its Corruption Perceptions Index.
daughter, Senator Dariga Nazarbayeva, is now first in the
presidential line of succession as Speaker of the Senate.
Economic inequality and a perceived lack of government
Nazarbayev’s family also dominates significant sectors of
accountability have fueled grassroots discontent in recent
the economy.
years. In 2011, protests by oil workers in the western town
of Zhanaozen turned violent, leaving at least 15
Newly-elected President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 66, is a
demonstrators dead and dozens injured after police opened
highly credentialed diplomat with significant international
fire. In 2016, large-scale protests broke out against
experience. Tokayev previously served as Prime Minister,
proposed changes to the country’s land code, which critics
Foreign Minister, and Speaker of the Senate, in addition to
feared would lead to a Chinese takeover of Kazakhstan’s
a stint as U.N. Deputy Secretary-General. He became acting
president upon Nazarbayev’s resignation and subsequently
agricultural land. In 2018 and 2019, there were multiple
demonstrations by women protesting a perceived lack of
won a snap presidential election in June 2019 with 71% of
support from the state for single mothers and families with
the vote, although independent observers have questioned
many children. Nazarbayev’s resignation and the June 2019
the integrity of this result. Tokayev is widely seen as a
snap presidential election catalyzed further protests and
Nazarbayev loyalist and has emphasized continuity.
calls for transition to a parliamentary system.
Kazakhstan’s bicameral parliament is dominated by
Nazarbayev’s Nur Otan party
Kazakhstan at a Glance
. In March 2017, a series of
constitutional amendments devolved some powers from the
Land area: 2,699,700 sq. km.; 1.6 times the size of Alaska
executive to the legislature. Observers note, however, that
Population: 18.5 mil ion (2019 est.)
the parliament does not function as an effective check on
presidential power. According to the Organization for
Ethnicities: 67% Kazakh, 20% Russian, 3% Uzbek, 1.6%
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), elections in
Ukrainian, 1.5% Uighur, 6.9% Other (2017)
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Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan at a Glance
other four Central Asian states.) Commercial deals totaling
$7.5 billion were also concluded, involving U.S. firms such
GDP (2017): $162.9 bil ion; per capita $9,030
as Boeing and General Electric.
Data from World Bank and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy
Kazakhstan maintains close ties with Russia, which remains
Economy
its largest trading partner. However, Kazakhstan is wary of
its northern neighbor, particularly following Russia’s
Kazakhstan is Central Asia’s most economically developed
annexation of Crimea. Kazakhstan has pushed back against
country. Its major exports include oil, coal, gas, uranium,
Moscow’s attempts to develop the Russia-led Eurasian
and wheat. After a period of falling oil prices and currency
Economic Union into more of a political union.
devaluation tied to international sanctions on Russia, the
country’s largest trading partner, Kazakhstan’s real GDP
Kazakhstan is developing close economic ties with China,
growth accelerated from an annual average of slightly
which is now Kazakhstan’s second largest trading partner.
above 1% percent in 2015-2016 to 4.1% in 2017 and 3.8%
Bilateral trade amounted to $11.1 billion in 2017, and
in 2018. This improved performance is attributable to
Chinese companies reportedly own about 25% of the assets
greater oil sector output and more favorable terms of trade.
in Kazakhstan’s oil and gas sectors. Tensions persist in the
Nevertheless, economic and fiscal dependence on oil
relationship, in part due to resentment of Chinese migrant
exports renders the country vulnerable to external shocks.
laborers in Kazakhstan as well as China’s repression of
Muslims—including ethnic Kazakhs—in Xinjiang.
Energy. Kazakhstan produces more than twice the energy it
consumes domestically, according to the International
Kazakhstan served as a non-permanent member of the U.N.
Energy Association. In 2016, Kazakhstan was the world’s
Security Council in 2017-2018. Since 2015, the country’s
10th largest coal producer (and 7th coal exporter), ranking
capital has hosted the Astana Process Syrian peace talks.
16th for crude oil production (12th crude exporter) and 23rd
Kazakhstan actively participates in NATO’s Partnership for
for natural gas production (20th natural gas exporter).
Kazakhstan’s
Peace and is also a member of the OSCE, the World Trade
oil and gas resources attract significant
Organization, the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty
investment from U.S., European, Russian, and Chinese
Organization, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
partners. According to the U.N. Trade Statistics Database,
oil accounts for 48% of Kazakhstan’s exports by value.
Counterterrorism and Security. An estimated 150-600
Kazakh citizens reportedly fought for the Islamic State (IS,
Kazakhstan holds 12% of the world’s uranium resources,
aka ISIS/ISIL) in Syria and Iraq, but because many of them
and it has led world uranium production since 2009.
traveled to IS-controlled territories with their families, the
According to the World Nuclear Association, the country
estimated total number of IS-associated Kazakhs is closer to
accounted for 39% of world production in 2016. All of
Kazakhstan’s uranium is exported
1,000. In 2019, Kazakhstan repatriated several hundred of
as of September 2017. In
May 2016, Kazakhstan’s state
its citizens from Syria, primarily women and children, with
-owned nuclear energy
logistical support from the United States. Kazakhstan also
company Kazatomprom and China General Nuclear Power
participates in the U.S.-led C5+1 regional initiative aimed
Corporation agreed to a joint venture to build Kazakhstan’s
at improving Central Asian security and prosperity, which
first fuel fabrication plant, with production slated to begin
has a counterterrorism component.
in 2020. Kazakhstan and Russia are currently discussing
joint construction of a nuclear power plant.
During Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,
Kazakhstan granted coalition aircraft overflight rights, and
Diversification. The government seeks to promote non-oil
in 2010 agreed to allow NATO to ship supplies through its
exports through ongoing structural and institutional
territory. In 2018, Kazakhstan’s government approved an
reforms. The Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy, promulgated by
agreement allowing the United States to transport non-
Nazarbayev in 2012, aims to position Kazakhstan as one of
the world’s top 30 m
military supplies through two ports on the Caspian Sea.
ost developed economies by 2050, and
officials are prioritizing transport and logistics development
Nonproliferation and Foreign Assistance. When the
and modernization projects with neighboring countries,
Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Kazakhstan was left with
mainly aligned with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The
1,410 nuclear warheads on its territory, but by 1995 it had
government also seeks to turn Kazakhstan into a regional
turned them all over to Russia. Kazakhstan also destroyed
financial hub with the July 2018 opening of the Astana
nuclear-testing infrastructure at Semipalatinsk. The United
International Finance Center and the Astana International
States assisted Kazakhstan’s denuclearization efforts
Exchange, a joint project with China.
through the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction
Foreign Policy and U.S. Relations
program.
Multi-vector foreign policy. Although Kazakhstan seeks
The United States provided $8.5 million in aid to
to avoid alignment with any one power, the United States
Kazakhstan in FY2018. The State Department requested
and Kazakhstan have a strong and wide-ranging
$1.7 million in appropriations for aid to Kazakhstan each
relationship. In January 2018, then-President Nazarbayev
year for both FY2019 and FY2020. The primary focus of
met with President Donald Trump in Washington, DC,
U.S. aid to Kazakhstan is security cooperation, particularly
where the two leaders re-affirmed their commitment to a
strengthening military partnerships and combatting
regional Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
weapons of mass destruction.
(TIFA) that was signed in 2004. (The TIFA includes the
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Kazakhstan

IF10251
Maria A. Blackwood, Analyst in Asian Policy


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10251 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED

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