nters (exceptions have the administrative center name
following in parentheses); in 1995 the governments of Kazakhstan and
Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a
period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Bayqongyr
(Baykonur) space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Leninsk)

Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 October (1991); Republic Day,
16 December (1991)

Constitution: adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first
post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the
Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990-91, president since 1 December
1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Nurlan BALGIMBAYEV (since 10
October 1997) and First Deputy Prime Minister Uraz ZHANDOSOV (since 20
February 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA 2000);
note-President NAZARBAYEV's term was extended to the year 2000 by a
nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995; prime minister and first
deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV elected president without
opposition; percent of vote-NA
note: President NAZARBAYEV has expanded his presidential powers by
decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and
dismiss the government, dissolve parliament, call referenda at his
discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47
seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are
popularly elected, two each from each oblast and Almaty, to serve
four-year terms) and the Majilis (67 seats; members are popularly
elected to serve four-year terms); note-with the oblasts being reduced
to 14, the Senate will eventually be reduced to 37
elections: Senate-(indirect) last held 5 December 1995 (next to be
held NA 1999); Majilis-last held 9 December and 23 December 1995 (next
to be held NA 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-party members 13, no party affiliation 34, of which
"independent" state officials 25, nominated by the presi