ication) spoken by
two-thirds of population and used in everyday business

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 96%

Labor force: 7.356 million
by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry
26%, other 43% (1992)

@Kazakhstan:Government

Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Digraph: KZ

Type: republic

Capital: Almaty

Administrative divisions: 19 oblystar (singular - oblys) and 1 city
(qalalar, singular - qala)*; Almaty Qalasy*, Almaty Oblysy, Aqmola
Oblysy, Aqtobe Oblysy, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral),
Kokshetau Oblysy, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan
Oblysy (Shymkent), Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda
Oblysy, Pavlodar Oblysy, Semey Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Petropavl), Taldyqorghan Oblysy, Torghay Oblysy, Zhambyl Oblysy,
Zhezqazghan Oblysy
note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name
differs from oblys name

Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution: adopted 28 January 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV (since NA April 1990);
Vice President Yerik ASANBAYEV (since 1 December 1991); election last
held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Nursultan A.
NAZARBAYEV ran unopposed; note - NAZARBAYEV has extended his term to
the year 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995
head of government: Prime Minister Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN (since 12
October 1994); First Deputy Prime Ministers Nigmatzhan ISINGARIN
(since 12 October 1994) and Vitalia METTE (since March 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
Supreme Council: elections last held 7 March 1994 (next to be held NA
1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (177 total)
Union Peoples' Unity of Kazakhstan 33, Confederation of Trade Unions
of the Republic of Kazakhstan 11, Peoples' Congress of Kazakhstan
Party 9, Socialist Party of Kazakhstan 8, Pea