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Due to resource constraints, IRIN is not updating the country profile below.
Updated humanitarian country information can be found instead at the Kazakhstan country page on ReliefWeb [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc104?OpenForm&rc=3&cc=kaz].
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 KAZAKHSTAN
Humanitarian Country Profile |
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Background
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Last update: February 2007 |
The Kazakhs are a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated to the region in the 13th century. Conquered by Russia in the 19th century, Kazakhstan became a Soviet republic in 1936. In the agricultural ‘virgin lands’ programme of the 1950s and 1960s, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of mainly Russian immigrants changed the ethnic mix, so that non-Kazakhs outnumbered natives. After the demise of the Soviet Union and independence, many of the newcomers emigrated.
As part of a growing trend towards authoritarianism throughout Central Asia, Kazakhstan's parliament in 2000 overwhelmingly voted to grant President Nursultan Nazarbayev lifelong powers and privileges. Nazarbayev was initially elected in 1991. He dissolved parliament and called for a referendum in 1995 to extend his term until 2000. In the 2005 election he won another seven-year term with 91 percent of the votes in an election that did not meet international democratic standards.
Peace and security
Kazakhstan is a presidential republic where, despite the separation of powers in principle, the president wields almost total control over all three branches of government and dictates national policy priorities. Nazarbayev has sidelined the bicameral parliament, and has kept the opposition under strict scrutiny. Nonetheless, the elite are increasingly dissatisfied with the limited political influence they have under the current system, and this has led to repeated demands for greater democratisation and accountability.
Political opposition is systematically repressed. In November 2005, in the run-up to the presidential election, Zamanbek Nurkadilov, an opposition leader and a former ally of Nazarbayev, was found dead at his family home in the Kazakh commercial capital, Almaty, with a revolver by his side. In February 2006, Altynbek Sarsenbaev, another prominent opposition leader, was shot dead.
IDPs/Refugees
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, at end-2005, the total number of refugees and asylum-seekers in Kazakhstan was estimated at 7,265 persons, including 5,000 Chechens, 1,446 Tajiks, 760 Afghans and other refugees and/or asylum-seekers of various other nationalities, mainly Uzbeks and Chinese Uighurs. Apart from these people, there are 400,000 ethnic Kazakh returnees, of whom more than 45,644 are, in principle, of concern to UNHCR in view of their de facto statelessness during the naturalisation process. The capacity of the government and non-governmental organisations working in the field of refugee protection is still limited and requires UNHCR expertise and support.
Democracy and governance
In December 1991, Kazakhstan obtained independence from the Soviet Union and Nazarbayev, the communist-era ruler, became president the same month. Although the country appears to have a democratic system with a bicameral parliament and an executive president, in reality, extensive powers are concentrated in the hands of Nazarbayev. While Kazakhstan finally ratified the two 1966 Covenants on Human Rights in December 2005, the human rights situation is still of great concern. The judiciary is formally built on principles of a division of power; however, in reality it does not enjoy any independence. There is a sizeable private media sector but anyone attempting independent and critical coverage of political issues faces intimidation and persecution.
Media
Kazakhstan's constitution guarantees freedom of the press while at the same time providing special protection for the president. In practice, the authorities allow limited press freedom but take action against perceived threats to the existing power structure. The media environment in 2005 saw neither significant deterioration nor a significant improvement. A national security law passed after the revolutions in neighbouring Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan and the unrest in Uzbekistan prohibits the glorification of "extremism" but does not provide a precise definition of "extremism".
Parliament, however, struck provisions from the draft law that would have given prosecutors expanded powers to close media outlets. Libel suits continued to take a toll on the independent press. Independent and opposition media outlets faced continued legal harassment and a targeted crackdown in the lead-up to the December presidential election, while the new national security law gave the authorities additional legal mechanisms to control information.
Economy
Kazakhstan is the wealthiest country in Central Asia, due to its plentiful oil and gas supplies. An oil pipeline linking Kazakhstan and the Russian Black Sea coast opened officially in November 2001. American companies have invested more than US$1 billion in the project. Kazakhstan's economy is growing significantly www.economist.com/countries/Kazakhstan/profile.cfm?folder=Profile%2DEconomic%20Data, aided by higher world prices for its leading exports of oil, metals and grain. However, despite its resources and foreign investment, serious economic hardship persists for the majority of the population. One of the most serious challenges to the economy remains corruption.
A new land ownership law came into effect in February 2001, allowing individuals to buy land for small-holdings, industrial or building purposes. All land had been owned by the state.
Population
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) estimated Kazakhstan's population at 14.8 million in 2004. As the ninth-largest country in the world in terms of area - slightly smaller than India - Kazakhstan is sparsely populated. According to UNFPA, the population has declined over the past 10 years and the population growth rate continues to fall. Emigration, declining fertility and increasing mortality, especially among men, are cited for the decline.
There are more than 120 nationalities in Kazakhstan: Kazakhs make up 55 percent and Russians 28 percent, according to the UN Development Programme. Other groups are Ukrainians, Germans, Uzbeks and Tatars.
The official languages are Kazakh and Russian. Other languages spoken are Ukrainian, German, Tatar, Uighur and Uzbek.
About 47 percent of the Kazakh population are Sunni Muslims, 44 percent are Russian Orthodox and 2 percent Protestants.
Development indicators
Kazakhstan is ranked 79th out of 177 countries in the UNDP 2006 Human Development Index. According to UNDP, the numbers of people living below the poverty line fell between 1996 and 2004. In 1996, 34.6 percent were living below the poverty line and in 2004 the percentage was 16.1. However, the poverty gap between urban areas and rural areas is growing and is a serious problem. In March 2003, the government adopted the State Poverty Reduction Programme to try to address this discrepancy.
Education
Primary education is compulsory in Kazakhstan and pre-school enrolment rates have increased in the past five years. A national programme to improve the education system has increased funding for schools and seeks to improve the overall quality of education nationwide, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
According to UNDP, the distribution of schools is uneven between rural and urban areas. Access to secondary education is highly dependent on social status and place of residence.
The literacy rate in Kazakhstan is 98 percent and net primary enrolment is 91 percent nationally.
Children
Lack of information regarding early childhood development, breastfeeding, care of sick children and nutrition for pregnant and lactating women is common in many Kazakh families. Even some healthcare workers lack basic information. About 75,000 children live in institutions, according to UNICEF.
The under-five mortality rate is 73 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Health
Life expectancy in Kazakhstan is 56 for men and 67 for women, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO). Vitamin A deficiency is a serious concern in many regions of the country.
According to Save the Children's 2005 annual report on newborn mortality, Kazakhstan is ranked best on combating newborn deaths among the Central Asian countries, and in the top five among the developing countries worldwide, with 16 newborn deaths per 1,000. But according to a report by the Kazakh health ministry, the country has still problems with poor qualification of specialists, the low level of healthcare for women of reproductive age and the lack of obstetricians and gynaecologists.
The percentage of people with access to clean water was 86 percent in 2000; 72 percent had access to proper sanitation facilities.
According to UNFPA, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the increase. Reported HIV infections are still low, but an increase is predicted because of increased drug consumption, sex work and low access to STI treatment.
HIV/AIDS
HIV infection is on the rise because of the proliferation of intravenous drug users and the high numbers of sex workers. As of December 2006, the National HIV/AIDS centre registered 7,088 cases of HIV/AIDS in the country. The WHO estimates that up to 35,000 people could be living with HIV/AIDS.
In 2002, Kazakhstan obtained a $22 million grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to provide substantial support for HIV prevention activities among high-risk groups and youth, as well as provision of anti-retroviral treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS, according to UNFPA.
Food security
Although Kazakhstan has enjoyed double digit economic growth over the past few years, about 17 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and poverty varies markedly between urban and rural regions. Kazakhstan is an agricultural country, producing livestock and grain.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) preliminary data for 2002-2004, the proportion of the population suffering from under-nourishment was 6 percent.
Gender issues
Professional opportunities for women are limited because of traditional cultural practices and the limited economic options. Nine women were elected to the parliament in 2004, a small proportion but more than were elected in 1999.
Trafficking of women is a serious problem. Kazakhstan is a transit point between other countries, but also a place of origin and destination for trafficked women. Kazakh women are trafficked to numerous countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Israel, South Korea, Greece, Russia, Syria and western Europe. Internal trafficking in Kazakhstan also takes place, usually from rural areas into cities. As the wealthiest country in the region, it is becoming a destination for women trafficked for sex.
The UNDP says about 60 percent of the poor in Kazakhstan are women and, according to UNFPA, women's social status may be worsening. Income differences between genders, employment and health status are some issues where women's social standing has been weakened.
Human rights
Kazakhstan has adopted policies designed to suppress NGOs, restrict freedom of assembly or marginalise the press, according to the Freedom in the World 2007 report by Freedom House.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Kazakh authorities continue to restrict citizens' rights to free assembly and expression. The Kazakh government's use of politically motivated lawsuits to silence independent media and limit access to opposition and independent internet sites have also been reported, the rights groups said.
Kazakhstan signed a first Mutual Cooperation Agreement with the Council of Europe in April 2004 pledging to encourage the abolition of the death penalty and to submit annual reports on progress towards the rule of law.
But Amnesty International has reported that members of the Uighur ethnic group, many of whom have been deported to China, are at risk of grave human rights violations. There is concern that increasing cooperation between Kazakhstan and China could result in greater restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly for Uighur nationals in Kazakhstan.
Humanitarian needs
Kazakhstan has been facing major pollution problems and associated public health implications. The country is still trying to deal with the consequences of the nuclear tests conducted at the Semipalatinsk testing ground in the northeast of the country. Tests began on 29 August 1949, when the Soviet Union exploded a plutonium bomb, and continued for 40 years, until it was closed on 29 August 1991.
The explosions of about 500 nuclear devices, combined with environmental problems and damage to the health of the population in the Semipalatinsk region, have created a substantial need for humanitarian and social assistance. During the period when the nuclear tests were conducted, necessary measures were not taken to protect the population - 1.6 million people were subjected to radiation.
Another environmental problem is the dying Aral Sea, which some scientists described as one of the environmental catastrophes of the 20th century. The Aral Sea, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once the fourth-largest lake in the world, but has now shrunk to a quarter of its original size. Chemical waste from industrial projects and fertilizer run-off before and after the break-up of the Soviet Union have poisoned the soil and drinking water, posing a health hazard to those living in the area. Over the past 40 years, the shrinking shoreline has left an estimated 45 million mega tonnes of contaminated dust. The polluted air around the sea - a toxic cocktail of salt, pesticides and chemicals - has led to an increase in liver, kidney and respiratory diseases in the area. |
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| Kazakhstan in figures | · Population: 14.8 million
· Pop. growth rate: 0.2%
· GDP per capita (PPP): US $7,440
· Pop. below poverty line: 16.1%
· Life expectancy: 63.38 years
· Infant mortality: 51.7 per 1,000
· Access to med. services: N/A
· HIV prevalence: 0.04%
· Access to clean water: 86%
· Access to electricity: N/A
· Literacy rate: 98%
· Doctors/people: N/A
· Displaced people: N/A
· Refugees: 7,265
· Human Development Index: 0.774 0.342 (HDI 2006 Rank 79)
Source: UNDP
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| Basic facts | Language: Kazakh and Russian
Ethnic Groups: Kazakh 55% , Russian 2% , Ukrainian 3% , Uzbek 2% , Tatar 1% , other 13%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 47% , Russian Orthodox 44% , Protestant 2% , other 7%
Geography: Extends east to west from the Caspian Sea to the Altay Mountains and north to south from the plains of Western Siberia to Central Asia.
Border countries: Russia, Uzbekistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Agriculture products: Grain, wool, meat
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