Republic of Kazakhstan - Essay Example

Republic of Kazakhstan Fundamentally, the Republic of Kazakhstan is an Asian country that has just over two decades of independence. Since the country is a single unitary state, a central power controls and rules over all other sections of the government ranging from the political to the economic realms. It means that a presidential form of government exists in Kazakhstan with one powerful president(Pavlović and Gritzner 93). The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan contemplates a democratic, legal, and secular state that respects the basic freedom and rights of all individuals(Abdelal 56). With a population of over 17 million and a per capita GDP of $12,843, the Republic of Kazakhstan is progressing well socio-economically, particularly considering that it is the world’s largest landlocked country(The World Fact Book 89). In this regard, this paper explores the socio-economic, political, and demographic situations of Kazakhstan as a republic, critically exploring its colonization and independence. With its capital based in Astana, the Republic of Kazakhstan attained its independence from the Soviet Union on 16 December 1991 (Olcott 132). Since then, the country has experienced tremendous socio-economic and political development, making it one of many fast-rising Asian stars(The World Fact Book 89). As far as language and culture is concerned, Kazakh is the national language while Russian is the official language of communication among different ethnic groups. Since the Republic of Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, the culture in Kazakhstan is largely Russian with most citizens blending well with the Russian immigrants, especially socio-economically (Pavlović and Gritzner 93).Due to its long political history, the Republic of Kazakhstan has robust political systems and institutions that protect the democracy and sovereignty of the country (94). The background of Kazakhstan is a unique one considering the fact that the natives were nomadic before the formation of the state(King 23). Certainly, the Kazakhs are a blend of the Mongol and Turkic ethnic groups that settled in the area around the 13th century period. Although the two tribes were nomadic in nature, they failed to unite to make one nation for many centuries up to the formation of the Soviet Union(Abdelal 56). Around the 18th century, Russians conquered and colonized the region called Kazakhstan before it finally joined the Soviet Union. Soon in the mid-20th century, agriculture became the major economic activity through which the Kazakhs derived their livelihoods(King 23). They cultivated the northern pastures that were the ‘Virgin Lands’ before the area experienced an influx of immigrants mainly from Russia. Currently the focus of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan is to united all tribes and ensure a stable economic and political environments through various strategies (The World Fact Book 89). As far as the politics of Kazakhstan is concerned, it is critical to mention that the presidential system of government accords the president executive powers (Cummings 18). In this respect, the president is able to make sovereign decisions on behalf of Kazakhstan and its citizens, particularly on domestic and international matters(Pavlović and Gritzner 98). In essence, the president is the “symbol of national unity” and he or she represents the all the cultures and communities within the jurisdiction of Kazakhstan State. It essentially means that the Head of State has the duty to uphold the Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land(Olcott 132). Additionally, the government has the duty to head and coordinate all the activities of all the executive bodies. The Parliament, which is composed of two chambers, drives the legislative agenda through the Senate and the Majilis (Abdelal 56). With a total land of 2,727,300 km2, the Republic of Kazakhstan is almost the size of Western Europe although the population density is not as high. Kazakhstan borders four countries namely, China, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan(King 23). Although Kazakhstan is a landlocked country, it is adjoined strategicallyto a big section of the Caspian Sea. The large size of Kazakhstan is especially favorable considering that it has a moderate population density of approximately six persons per km2(Abdelal 56). In essence, Kazakhstan ranks at number sixty-two globally, as far as its total population is concerned. The current President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has strictly controlled the nation ever since disbanding of the Soviet Union in 1991, with the opposition facing strong sanctions from the government (The World Fact Book 89). Concerning the politics of Kazakhstan, it is important to note that the country is quite robust in its political system, military, elections, and foreign policy(Abdelal 56). In the political system, the President is the Head of State and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces while the Prime minister is the Head of Government with three deputies(Pavlović and Gritzner 93). As far as elections are concerned, it is worth noting that political repression is still rife in Kazakhstan with the President chairing and owning the Otan party. The remaining parties namely the Asar and AIST belong to the President’s daughters while the opposition has only one seat in Mujilis(King 23). Kazakhstan has a globally acceptable foreign policy since it is a member of various world organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, and the United Nations (King 23). The strong GDP of Kazakhstan is accentuated by four major pillars of the economy namely Agriculture, banking, Natural Resources, and Transport. With the inflation rates being stable from 2005 to 2009, Kazakhstan managed to grow its GDP by 13.5% in 2009 through agriculture that included wheat farming, vegetable farming, and livestock farming(The World Fact Book 89).By 2010, the Republic of Kazakhstan had become the world’s biggest exporter of Uranium and foreign revenues earned helped significantly to boost the economy of Kazakhstan(Abdelal 56). Although the banking sector is not so robust, the transport industry plays a pivotal role in Kazakhstani economy because of the connection between Almaty and china through modern infrastructure(King 23). Of course, energy is the backbone of Kazakhstani economy through the extraction and exportation of natural gas and crude oil that in 2012 alone, increased to about 80 million tons(Pavlović and Gritzner 111). Considering the political and economic situations of Kazakhstani, it is worth mentioning that the country has one of the most encouraging demographic trends. According to official figures of 2011, the population of Kazakhstan is slightly over 16 million with 46% of the population residing in rural areas(King 23). The figures actually indicate a balanced population density that has enabled the country to achieve stable economic growth over the years(Olcott 131). Additionally, the population growth rate is slightly below 2%, meaning that the government is in a position to plan effectively for the countries rising population(Abdelal 56). The census of 2009 indicated a 6.9% population growth when compared to the 1999 population census with Almaty recording the highest population of 1.5 million people (The World Fact Book 89). Distribution of population and resources is even between the two major ethnic groups with language and religion being the basic components of Kazakhstani culture. Indeed, Kazakhstan has a unique culture whereby the Kazakhs and the Russians are the major tribes representing 61.35 and 23.7% respectively(Pavlović and Gritzner 128). Other ethnic groups that are part of the population Kazakhstani population include the Uzbeks, Lithuanians,Azerbaijanis, Tatars, Belarusians, Ukrainians, and the Poles(Cummings 18). Although a vast majority of the Kazakhstani population is Muslim, a significant number of Christians is present with a small percentage representing the Buddhists and other religions, including the non-believers(King 23). Despite the fact that the Republic of Kazakhstan is merely two and half decades old, it has taken great steps towards ensuring economic and political stability (King 23). Six years after its independence from the Soviet Union, the Kazakhstani President held a public address to inform the country of the development strategy that his government has for the country (Abdelal 56). In his remarks, the President was categorical about the enhancement of security to ensure the prosperity and welfare of every citizen of Kazakhstan. The government of the Republic of Kazakhstan came up with seven developmental priorities that were long-term in nature(The World Fact Book 89). The priorities that were dubbed ‘Kazakhstan-2030,’would turn Kazakhstan into a dynamic economy through the implementation of the long-term plans. Fundamentally, the seven pillars of Kazakhstani strategic plan included Infrastructure, National Security, Economic Growth, Professional State, Power Resources, and Domestic Political Stability (Pavlović and Gritzner 128). In conclusion, Kazakhstan is a country with a long history that has enabled it to beat all odds to become the world’s biggest exporter of Uranium. Originally part of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan consists mainly of two tribes the Kazakhs and the Russians with a total population of 17 million as at 2009. The major economic pillars include transport, natural resources, agriculture, and banking and the President has a serious agenda in developing the country, at least going by the ‘Kazakhstan-2030’ Development Strategy. Politically, the democratic space is limited in Kazakhstan with the President’s family owning a majority of the political parties. Works Cited “The World Fact Book 2007.” Washington, D.C: Central Intelligence Agency, 2007. Print. Abdelal, Rawi. National Purpose in the World Economy: Post-soviet States in Comparative Perspective. Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press, 2005. Print. Cummings, Sally N. Kazakhstan: Power and the Elite. London: I. B. Tauris, 2005. Print. King, Charles. Extreme Politics: Nationalism, Violence, and the End of Eastern Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print. Olcott, Martha B. Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise? Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2010. Print. Pavlović, Zoran, and Charles F. Gritzner. Kazakhstan. New York: Chelsea House, 2003. Print. Read More