Kazakhstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the east. It is the ninth largest country in the world with an area of 2,724,900 square kilometers. The country has a population of 18,391,000 people. The capital city is Astana.
The Republic of Kazakhstan is a presidential republic. The head of state is the president, who is elected by popular vote for a five-year term.
The prime minister is the head of government.
The economy of Kazakhstan is the largest in Central Asia and is dominated by the oil and gas industry.
Other important industries include mining, metallurgy, agriculture, and tourism.
The official language of Kazakhstan is Kazakh. Russian is also widely spoken.
Kazakhstan is a member of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The country is divided into 14 provinces and 3 cities with special status.
The provinces are:
Atyrau Region
East Kazakhstan Region
Karaganda Region
Kostanay Region
Kyzylorda Region
Mangystau Region
North Kazakhstan Region
Pavlodar Region
Turkistan Region
West Kazakhstan Region
The cities with special status are:
Almaty
Astana
Shymkent