KazakhstanBy, Mackenzie Olesen

Geography

slightly less than 4 times the size of Texas2,724,900 square kmcold winters and hot summersarid and semiarid

General Information

Population: 15,522,373male: 7,476,377female: 8,046000Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, Other 7%

Ethnic Groups:Kazakh 63.1%, Russian 23.7%, Uzbek 2.8%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Uighur 1.4%, Tatar 1.3%, German 1.1%, Other 4.5%Languages: Kazakh 64.4%, Russian 95%Official Language: Kazakh

Education

Literacy: 99.5%Male: 99.8%Female:99.3%Education Expediters: 2.8% of GDP

HealthInfant Mortality Rates: 24.15deaths/1,000 live birthsMale: 28.44deaths/ 1,000 live birthsFemale: 19.62deaths/ 1,000 live birthsLife Expectancy: 68.51 yearsMale: 63.24 years,Female: 74 years

Government

Type: RepublicCurrent Leader: President Nursultan NazarbayevStability: very stabile

EconomicsGDP per Capita: $12,700Industry: oil coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, uranium, iron, steel, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials

Relationship with the United States

We were the first country to recognize Kazakhstan on December 25, 1991It won its independence from Russia December 14, 1991We helped them with the removal of nuclear warheads, weapon-grade materials, and their supporting infrastructureKazakhstan renounced nuclear weapons in 1993The U.S. spent $240 million in the assisting the removal of the weaponsBetween 1992-2005 the U.S. has provided roughly $1.205 billion in technical assistance and investment support for Kazakhstan2006 became the first country to share directly in the cost of a U.S. government’s foreign assistance programWe provide U.S. business internships for KazakhstanisWe support their businesses through a matchmaker program

Sharia“Kazakhstan has set its sights on becoming a regional Islamic finance country by 2020 and largely to help move in that direction, the government is keen to support and promote Islamic banking activities wherever possible.” says Prasad Abraham, chief executive of the Kazakhstan branch of Abu Dhabi’s Al Hilal BankKazakhstan is only interested in Islamic financeBut some people are skeptical if that will help them financiallySharia-compliant IDB played a large role in introducing Islamic Banking to KazakhstanSharia does not influence the government

Human RightsThe people do not have many freedomsOutsiders are closely watchedForcibly returned at least 28 Uzbeks to Uzbekistan which put them in dangerThe government’s immigration policies and protection gaps expose migrants to abuseThey have a horrible human rights recordThe people are being repressedThe government is denying health care benefits to those that need itNicholas Sarkozy, the president of France has told Kazakhstan that they need to make human rights reformsThey sentenced their leading human rights defender to 4 years of prison in an unfair trialThe judge would not let his lawyer defend him or use witnesses

There are no media freedomsThere are very few human rights developmentsThey have flawed and unfair electionsKazakhstan does not use tortureThey have bad judgesKazakhstan sometimes gets rid of refugees(ex. the Uzbeks)Due process is a little shaky but is still thereWomen have equal rights Minorities have equal rightsThere are no cruel and unusual punishments- criminals go to jailKazakhstan is similar to the U.S. but there is no death penalty

Current EventKazakhstan has a partnership with the European UnionThey have a 3 year program called the ”Path to Europe” which has run since 2009Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized an international conferenceEuropean Union is Kazakhstan’s leading trade investment partnerKazakhstan also has a partnership with France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the U.K.In a way Kazakhstan is a part of Europe“I notice a special identity of your country in every discussion that takes place in Paris and other European capitals,” says Roland Dumas, France’s ex-Foreign Minister and former president of the Constitutional CouncilRoland Dumas also participated in the development of Kazakhstan’s constitution of 1995

Igor Rogov, the Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Council, also participated in the development of Kazakhstan’s Constitution and was at the conferenceThe conference also consisted of ambassadors of a few European countriesThere were also heads of relevant state bodies of Kazakhstan thereThe E.U. is responsible for 50% of Kazakhstan’s foreign trade and 1/3 of their investmentsThe European countries are also giving Kazakhstan lots of moneyThey contribute to the implementation of Kazakhstan’s Program for Accelerated Industrial and Innovative Development(PAIID)They have worked together on security issuesThe program is the development of a partnership between Kazakhstan and the E.U.They also moving towards signing a document oriented toward long-term goals

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