FAX: (3272) 63-38-83, 50-76-24

Flag description: sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Kazakhstan Economy

Economy - overview: Kazakhstan, the second largest of the former Soviet republics in territory, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer. Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources and also on a growing machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse of demand for Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium agreement to build a new pipeline from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field to the Black Sea increases prospects for substantially larger oil exports in several years. Kazakhstan's economy again turned downward in 1998 with a 2% decline in GDP due to slumping oil prices and the August financial crisis in Russia. The recovery of international oil prices in 1999, combined with a well-timed tenge devaluation and a bumper grain harvest, pulled the economy out of recession in 2000. Astana has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing light industry.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $85.6 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 10.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10%

industry: 30%

services: 60% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 26.3% (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 8.8 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 27%, agriculture 23%, services 50% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 13.7% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3.1 billion

expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel, nonferrous metal, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 14.9% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 44.36 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 87.12%

hydro: 12.65%

nuclear: 0.23%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 44.132 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 200 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 3.077 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; wool, livestock

Exports: $8.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil 40%, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal

Exports - partners: EU 23%, Russia 20%, China 8% (1999)

Imports: $6.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil and gas, vehicles

Imports - partners: Russia 37%, US, Uzbekistan, Turkey, UK, Germany,
Ukraine, South Korea (1999)

Debt - external: $12.5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $409.6 million (1995)

Currency: tenge (KZT)

Currency code: KZT

Exchange rates: tenge per US dollar - 145.09 (January 2001), 142.13 (2000), 119.52 (1999), 78.30 (1998), 75.44 (1997), 67.30 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Kazakhstan Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.818 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 11,202 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated

domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan

international: international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay; with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios: 6.47 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 3.88 million (1997)

Internet country code: .kz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: 70,000 (2000)

Kazakhstan Transportation

Railways: total: 14,400 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines

broad gauge: 14,400 km 1.520-m gauge (3,299 km electrified) (1997)

Highways: total: NA km

paved: 150,000 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather) (2000)

unpaved: NA km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather)

Waterways: 3,900 km

note: on the Syrdariya (Syr Darya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 2,850 km; refined products 1,500 km; natural gas 3,480 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen
(Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Airports: 449 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 14

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 421

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 45

914 to 1,523 m: 101

under 914 m: 246 (2000 est.)

Kazakhstan Military

Military branches: General Purpose Forces (Army), Air Force, Border
Guards, Navy, Republican Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,509,179 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,598,859 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 163,628 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $322 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY99)

Kazakhstan Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs: significant illicit cultivation of cannabis and limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug ephedrone); limited government eradication program; cannabis consumed largely in the CIS; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia, North America, and Western Europe from Southwest Asia; developing heroin addiction problem

@Kenya

Kenya Introduction

Background: Revered president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when current President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. The country faces a period of political uncertainty because MOI is constitutionally required to step down at the next elections that have to be held by early 2003.

Kenya Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between
Somalia and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 582,650 sq km

land: 569,250 sq km

water: 13,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 3,446 km

border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline: 536 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
Valley; fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 37%

forests and woodland: 30%

other: 25% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 660 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

Kenya People

Population: 30,765,916

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.95% (male 6,524,776; female 6,381,192)

15-64 years: 55.26% (male 8,529,842; female 8,471,609)

65 years and over: 2.79% (male 376,151; female 482,346) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.27% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 28.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 14.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 1999 Kenya was host to 223,700 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia 141,000 and Sudan 64,250

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 67.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.49 years

male: 46.57 years

female: 48.44 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 13.95% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.1 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 180,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kenyan(s)

adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%

Religions: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 7%, other 1%

note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely

Languages: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 78.1%

male: 86.3%

female: 70% (1995 est.)

Kenya Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Kenya

conventional short form: Kenya

former: British East Africa

Government type: republic

Capital: Nairobi

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast,
Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997

Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote from among the members of the National Assembly for a five-year term; in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003); vice president appointed by the president

election results: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected; percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called "nominated" members who are appointed by the president, but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals)

elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - KANU 107, FORD-A 1, FORD-K 17, FORD-People 3, DP 39, NDP 21, SDP 15, SAFINA 5, smaller parties 2; seats appointed by the president - KANU 6, FORD-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai KIBAKI]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A [Martin SHIKUKU, secretary general]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Michael Kijana WAMALWA]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI] - the governing party; National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA, president]; SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Dr. Apollo NJONJO, secretary general and Justus NYANG'AYA, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY, chairman]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNU,
UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBO

chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 387-6101