; Aktyubinsk, Alma-Ata, Atyrau,
Chimkent, Dzhambul, Dzhezkazgan, Karaganda, Kokchetav, Kustanay, Kzyl-Orda,
Mangistauz (Aqtau), Pavlodar, Semipalatinsk, Severo-Kazakhstan
(Petropavlovsk), Taldy-Kurgan, Tselinograd, Turgay (Arkalyk), Ural'sk,
Vostochno-Kazakhstan (Ust'-Kamenogorsk); note - an oblast has the same name
as its administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center name
following in parentheses)
Independence:
16 December 1991; from the Soviet Union (formerly the Kazakh Soviet
Socialist Republic)
Constitution:
new postindependence constitution under preparation
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
NA
Executive branch:
president with presidential appointed cabinet of ministers
Legislative branch:
Supreme Soviet
Judicial branch:
NA
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (since April 1990), Vice President Yerik
ASANBAYEV (since 1 December 1991)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Sergey TERESHCHENKO (since 14 October 1991), Deputy Prime
Minister Davlat SEMBAYEV (since November 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
Peoples Forum Party, Olzhas SULEIMENOV and Mukhtar SHAKHANOV, co-chairmen;
Socialist Party (former Communist Party), Anuar ALIJANOV, chairman;
ZHOLTOKSAN, Hasan KOJAKHETOV, chairmen; AZAT Party, Sabitkazi AKETAEV,
chairman
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (NA total) percent of seats by party NA
Communists:
party disbanded 6 September 1992
Member of:
CIS, CSCE, IMF, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador NA; Chancery at NA NW, Washington, DC 200__; telephone NA; there
are NA Consulates General
US:
Ambassador-designate William Courtney; Embassy at Hotel Kazakhstan,
Alma-Ata, (mailing address is APO AE 09862); telephone 8-011-7-3272-61-90-56
Flag:
no national flag yet adopted

:Kazakhstan Economy

Overview:
The second-largest in area of the 15 former Soviet republics, Kazakhstan has
vast oil, coal, and agricultural resources. Kazakhstan is highly dependent
on trade with Russia, exchanging its natural resources for finished consumer
and industrial goods. Kazakhstan now finds itself with serious pollution
problems, backward technology, and little experience in foreign markets. The