Country Profile of Kazakhstan - Essay Example

Kazakhstan The Republic of Kazakhstan is located in central Asia. Covering 2.7,24,900 square kilometers (The WorldFact Book), this country is the ninth largest country in the world. In addition, it is the largest landlocked country in the world, sharing its boundaries with Russia on the North, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on the South, Caspian Sea and Russia on the West, and China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the East. The country connects between Asia and Eastern Europe because a considerable part of the country lies in Asia and a small portion in Eastern Europe. Kazakhstan’s land area mainly consists of steppe land along with hills and plateaus. The important water sources in the country are Balkhash Lake, Zaysan Lake, Ural River, Ishim River, Syrdariya River, Charyn River, and Ili River. The country experiences continental climate and dry weather throughout the year. The winter season is cold and summers are hot (The World Fact Book). Kazakhstan hosts a large number of ethnicities, ranging from Kazakhs (63.1%), Russians (23.7%), Uzbeks (2.8%), Ukrainians (2.1%), and Uighurs (1.4%). Other ethnic groups are Tatars, Germans, Koreans, Turks, Azerbaijanis, Belarusians, Dungans, Kurds, Tajiks, Poles, Chechens, and Kyrgyz. The special geographical position of Kazakhstan is considered as the reason behind this diversity. Though it is an Islam-dominated country (70.20%), one can see Christianity (26.2%), Buddhism (0.1%), and a few other religions in Kazakhstan (World Fact Book). The Republic of Kazakhstan has a presidential system of government. The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan calls for a democratic, secular, and presidential system of rule where head of the state is the President. The government is divided into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The country has a bicameral parliament, which consists of the upper house called the Senate and the house of representatives, called the Mazhilis. The Senate consists of 47 members selected from all the 14 regions and the cities of Astana and Almaty. The Mazhilis consists of 107 members, elected in accordance with the proportional electoral system to represent the various ethnic groups. The executive body is the government headed by the prime minister. The legal system in Kazakhstan is a combination of the Constitution, international treaties, resolutions of the Constitutional Council, and the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan. Whenever an international treaty is in conflict with any law of the nation, the treaty is given priority (The World Fact Book). Kazakhstan has a good relation with the NATO and has an Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO. Following the September 2001 terrorist attack in the U.S, Kazakhstan joined the international antiterrorist coalition. As a part of this, Kazakhstan opened its airspace for coalition forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. Science, Technology and Innovation in Kazakhstan Admittedly, the Republic is not yet developed enough in science, technology and innovation (STI) to compete with the world science. However, the achievements made by the nation’s researchers in the areas of alternative energy, biotechnology, metallurgy, polymer chemistry, and medicine are worth mentioning. To illustrate, Kazakhstan managed to develop a bird flu vaccine suiting the environment of Kazakhstan, and developed wound healing drugs from human cytokines. The nation is planning a lot to be a global leader in science and technology in the near future and the government is investing a lot in this area (Yunus, Alpay, and Sultangazin 55-75). In fact, Kazakhstan is paying special attention to developing science and research sector. As a result, the number of research organizations rose by a third between the years 2000 and 2010. Similarly, there was a nearly three times growth in the number of higher education institutions, and approximately two times in technological organizations and industrial organizations. In order to develop science, technology and innovation, the government is not only making policies, but also creating development institutions, technology parks, design offices, and special economic zones. To illustrate, there is the Joint Stock Company (JSC) promoting high-tech and knowledge-intensive industries, the Science Fund giving financial aid to research teams and organizations engaged in promising research and development, activities, the Engineering and Technology Transfer Center ensuring the practical implementation of innovations in domestic enterprise, KazAgroInnovation promoting technological development in the agriculture sector of Kazakhstan, and the Kazakhstan Center of Modernization and Development of Housing and Communal Services implementing innovative technologies in the field of public utilities. In addition, the government has established eight regional technology parks along with a park of nuclear technologies since 2004 (Yunus, Alpay, and Sultangazin 55-75). AIDS in Kazakhstan According to reports, the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the year 2009 is 13,000 (World Fact Book). The number of registered HIV cases in Kazakhstan is 19,997 as of January 2013. Out of them, 1974 cases are newly registered in 2013 (“UNAIDS/WHO Epidemiological Factsheet”). However, these figures are disputed. In fact, HIV threat is a recent phenomenon in Kazakhstan but the growth of the disease is explosive. It is mainly seen among drug users and sex workers. As of the year 2009, the prevalence of AIDS among adults in Kazakhstan is 0.1% (World Fact Book). A notable point here is that the actual number of AIDS cases in Kazakhstan can be much higher than the reported numbers. According to WHO, 3.8% of the injecting drug users and 4.6% of the sex workers are infected with HIV. Out of the total reported cases, nearly 78% is due to unsafe drug injection and 14% is due to unsafe sex. In fact, Kazakhstan lies at the center of intensive drug-trafficking routes, and this is the reason why the number of injecting drug users and the number of consequent HIV cases are on rise. It is seen that AIDS is much higher among males than among females as of the year 2003. According to UNAIDS, the number of adults with AIDS is between 5700 and 34,000, and that of women is between 2000 and 12000 in the year 2003. Among children it is estimated between 100 and 1000 (“UNAIDS/WHO Epidemiological Factsheet”). The most notable point in the analysis is that unsafe sex and drug injection are the two most important reasons for AIDS in the nation. Another issue noted is that the number of actual AIDS cases, especially among women in Kazakhstan, will be much higher than the number reported because of the specific culture existing in Kazakhstan (Zhusupov). One study by UNAID experts among the commercial sex workers in the city of Almaty revealed 70% of them had sexually transmitted diseases. This indicates that this population is highly vulnerable to HIV infection as well. However, revealing their status is a very difficult task for women in this country because of the existing stereotypes about their subordination. In addition, even buying condoms and talking about sex is a highly tabooed subject in the society. It was found in a study that men buy condoms three times more often than women do (Zhusupov). According to reports, the prevention and treatment programs for AIDS in the country is not effective. As of 2007, 40% of those in need were not getting treatment (AIDS Foundation East West). Though the number of reported AIDS cases is not so overwhelming as compared to other nations, it is possible that the actual number of cases is much higher than reported, and because of the lack of facilities and awareness and the special geographic position of Kazakhstan, the number of AIDS cases can grow uncontrollably and beyond the notice of health organizations. One reason why the number of AIDA cases is higher among males in the nation is that drug use is five times higher among men than among women. There are various factors that make men more vulnerable to drug-related AIDS. Some of them are; the stereotype that a man must try everything, the existence of hedonistic behavior style in the society, poor family climate, negative examples in the society, and less restrictors in the form of cultural traditions and social norms (Zhusupov). Kazakhstan Culture Kazakhstan has a rich culture and tradition. Every point of their life from birth to death is marked with celebration. An example of Kazakh specialty is the ‘yurt’, a movable house. This movable home consists of an extensible trellis base, a dome, and a round top. It is said that a Kazakh woman can take apart such a home in half an hour. This movable home is an indication of the nomadic past of the region. The national dress of men in Kazakhstan includes a velvet dressing gown with a lot of embroidery (chapans). Men usually cover their heads with a skullcap (tobetai), a tall cap (kalpak), or a fox-fur hat (malakai). For women, the traditional dress is a silk or cotton colored dress and a silk scarf. Kazakhs have their own inherited forms of entertainment. One of them is ‘Shesheke’, played by five to ten year old children. Another game is ‘Khan’ played in winter. This is played by boys divided into two groups. Some other games are ‘Asyk’, ‘Ai kerek’, ‘Ak Sandyk-kok Sandyk’, ‘Zhasyrnbak’, ‘Sadak, sadak, kuirshak’, ‘Sokyrteke’, ‘Belbeusok’, ‘Kuzet’, ‘Ak Suiek’, ‘Altybakan’, ‘Kyz Kuu’, and ‘Kurez’, and so on. One peculiar fact about all these traditional games is that they all are based on the life situations of the land. These games teach the new generation to be healthy, brave, smart, humane, and watchful (Mayhew 112). This uniqueness of the culture is seen in the traditions and customs related to marriage. According to Kazakh traditions, marriage between relatives is prohibited up to seven generations. This ensures that the future offspring remains healthy. The process of marriage starts with the visit of matchmakers to the bride’s house. The purpose is to agree with the father of the bride on her marriage. If the negotiation is successful, the father receives gifts from the matchmakers and presents the main matchmaker with a coat in return. This custom is traditionally called ‘Shege Sapa’. The next stage of the ceremony is called ‘Kyz uzatu’. The match makers come to the bride’s house in the evening and in the morning, the bride is sent to the groom’s house with the matchmakers. When the bride reaches the groom’s house, ‘Kelin tusiru’ takes place. This is the solemn ceremony of meeting the bride. As a part of this, a song of instructions and wishes called ‘Betashar’ is sung (Mayhew 147). Kazakhstan Economy Kazakhstan has one of the largest economies in Central Asia, and this prominence is the result of the large reserves of oil and minerals and metals. In addition, the nation has enormous potential to grow grain. Because of the nation’s great dependence on oil, the GDP fell in the Nineties when international petroleum prices plummeted. However, since 2000, the nation has witnessed a steady improvement in the GDP, and has been one among the highest GDPs since then. According to reports, Kazakhstan’s GDP rises by 5% as of the year 2013 (World Fact Book). Between 1999 and 2013, GDP of Kazakhstan increased by 185.7 billion USD to reach 243.6 billion USD. More than half of the nation’s total export is of oil and oil products (59%), followed by ferrous metals (19%), chemicals (5%), and machinery (3%). In addition, grain, wool, meat and coal are exported (The Economist). The most important export partners are China (19.3%), Russia (9.9%), France (6.6%), Italy (18.1%), Netherlands (8.8%), Austria (5.8%), and Switzerland 5.8%) (The World Fact Book). Kazakhstan joined IMF on 15 July 1992. Though it had loans in the past, it managed to repay the debts and as of 31 October 2014, there is no outstanding loans (Kazakhstan, republic of: Financial Position in the Fund). Kazakhstan is a nation, which considerably enjoyed the fruits of globalization being an oil exporting nation. Immediately after its freedom from the Soviet Union in 1991, this nation adopted an open-boundary policy unlike its neighbors. With its wealth of oil resources, the nation found the transition from communist to democratic regime easy because oil gave them the feeling of being wealthy. With a high international oil price, the nation benefits a lot from globalization through prosperous trade with countries like China and Russia. However, globalization was not always beneficial to the nation. To illustrate, being a nation heavily dependent on oil, Kazakhstan witnessed a fall in its GDP during Nineties when the international petroleum price plunged (The Economist). That means the economy of Kazakhstan is heavily dependent on the world economy, and is vulnerable to fluctuations. Kazakhstan and Environment Kazakhstan is not free from environmental issues. The first problem that deserves attention is nuclear contamination in the Semipalatinsk region. Between 1949 and 1991, the Soviet Union conducted approximately 500 nuclear explosions near the city of Semipalatinsk. These tests took place both above and below the ground. Similarly, about 40 explosions took place in testing sites in Western Kazakhstan and in the Qyzylqym desert. The Soviet government did not evacuate the inhabitants of the nearby places and did not even warn the people of any danger. As a result, nearly 1 million Kazakh citizens were exposed to dangerous levels of nuclear radiation. There was considerable uprising in Kazakhstan against the Soviet practice, and by the year 1991, they managed to stop nuclear testing in that region. However, by this time, the entire area and even underground aquifers were highly contaminated. Consequently, even these days, about a third of the total children born in the Semipalatinsk region suffer from mental or physical defects. In addition, nearly half of the total population in this area suffers from immune system defects (The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan). The government of Kazakhstan has been trying its best to improve the situations in the Semipalatinsk region. To illustrate, it has launched the program ‘Complex Solution of the Former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site Problems for 2005-2007”. As a part of this program, about 37 million USD was spent on improving the ecologic, economic, medical and social fields of the region. To help Kazakhs, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution named “International Cooperation and Coordination for the Human and Ecological Rehabilitation and Economic Development of the Semipalatinsk Region of Kazakhstan”. Another important environmental issue for the nation to address is the shrinking of Aral Sea and the consequences. The Aral Sea is split between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In 1960s, the Soviet government started a drive to promote cotton cultivation in the arid lands of Central Asia. For this purpose, excessive levels of water were used from water sources that used to provide water to the Aral Sea. As a result, the water flow to Aral Sea dwindled, and the consequence was a fast-receding shoreline of Aral Sea. This gave birth to a number of other environmental and health problems. Firstly, the falling water level in the Aral Sea resulted in desertification of the surrounding areas. This caused a destruction of wildlife as animals lost their habitat. This has impact on human life in the area as well. To illustrate, there was a rise in parasitic diseases and respiratory infections in the surrounding areas (The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan). The pathetic situation of the area has opened the eyes of international organizations as well. A number of projects try to mitigate the ill effects. To illustrate, the Drainage, Irrigation and Wetlands Projects works to restore the delta wetlands and lakes. Similarly, NGOs are working to reduce diseases and to help local communities to cope with the situation. With the help of the World Bank, the Northern Aral Sea Project built Kok-Aral Dam to restore water levels in the Northern Sea by separating it from the Southern Aral Sea. In addition, there is the Syr Darya Control and Northern Aral Sea Project and the Aral Sea Basin Program (The World Bank). Despite all these efforts, the effects of the damage remain irreversible to a great extent. Moreover, the nation is not free from the pollution caused by urban population and industries. In recent years, various environmental watch groups have started fighting for better emission control measures. The population of Kazakhstan The population of Kazakhstan is estimated at 17,948,816 as of July 2014 (The World Fact Book). This population is experiencing a steady growth. It was 10 million in the year 1960 and 14.95 million in 2004. That is, there is an annual population growth rate of 1.17%. While 25.1% of the population is aged 0-14 years, 6.8% is aged males and females (The World Fact Book). The sex ratio of the country is 0.94 male per female at birth and 1.04 male per female at the age of 15-24 years (The World Fact Book). Life expectancy at birth is 64.98 years for males and 75.17 for females (The World Fact Book). Infant mortality rate of the country is 21.61 out of every 1000 live births (The World Fact Book). Out of the total population, 48.3% is males and 51.7% is females. (United Nations Statistics Division). Kazakhstan and the Fight against Terrorism It is seen that Kazakhstan tries its best to fight terrorism and in this effort, it has become the favorite country of the U.S in Central Asia. For example, after the September 11 attacks, Kazakhstan President sent a message to the U.S President expressing solidarity in the fight against terrorism. Offering full support for the American fight against terrorism, the Kazakh government opened its airspace and a major airport for the U.S flights in Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, the nation banned organizations like Al-Qaeda, Asbat al-Ansar, Muslim Brotherhood, Lashkar i Tayba, Hizb ut Tahrir and so on from its territory (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). There was active help from Kazakhstan in Iraq too. To illustrate, on the request from the U.S, Kazakhstan sent its military engineers to Iraq to help in military operations in the year 2003. This help lasted until 2008. In the second Iraq war, Kazakhstan troops worked in Iraq and destroyed 4 million mines and other explosives (Foster). Thus, it has become evident that Kazakhstan has joined the West in the fight against terrorism as evidenced from its active participation in the Global War on Terror. The mere fact is that Kazakhstan needs to be highly careful in its foreign relations and policies. As already seen, its main trade partners are China and Russia, and the U.S has active interest in the Kazakhstan oil deposits. It becomes necessary for Kazakhstan to develop an equal distance policy from all these powers to ensure its continuous growth. Conclusion In total, it becomes evident that Kazakhstan has the potential to become a global power because of its strategic location and wealth of natural resources. Though it is rich in oil and minerals, totally depending on their export will make the nation highly vulnerable to external influences and international relations. It is necessary now for the nation to focus on developing other areas of economy so that a fall in international petroleum price will not cause serious damage to the country’s economy. In addition, the nation should focus on better technologies of extraction and production so that pollution from industries is minimized. Works Cited AIDS Foundation East West. Kazakhstan. AIDS Foundation East West, 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. Cengel, Yunus, Savas Alpay, and Anuarbek Sultangazin. Science, Technology, and Innovation in Kazakhstan. Ankara: SESRIC, 2013. Print. Foster, Hal. “Steppe Eagle Military Exercises Cover Broad Spectrum of Scenarios.” central asia newswire. Universal Newswires, 23 Aug. 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. Kazakhstan, Republic of: Financial Position in the Fund. International Monetary Fund. IMF, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. Mayhew, Bradley. Central Asia. New York: Lonely Planet, 2007. Print. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Fight against Terrorist and Extremism in Kazakhstan.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government of Kazakhstan, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. The Economist Intelligence Unit. Kazakhstan. The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. The World Fact Book. cia.gov, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. United Nations Statistics Division. “Kazakhstan.” UNdata. United Nations Statistics Division, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. “UNAIDS/WHO Epidemiological Factsheet.” Data.unaids.org. UNAIDS/WHO Working Group on Global HIV/AIDS and STI Surveillance, 2004. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. World Bank. “Saving a Corner of the Aral Sea.” The WORLD BANK IBRD-IDA, World Bank Group. 1 Sept. 2005. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. Zhusupov, Baurzhan. “Women, Youth and AIDS/HIV in Kazakhstan.” Un.org. Baurzhan Zhusupov, 1 Nov. 2000. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. Read More