n Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the
Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity. In 2006 Kazakhstan
completed the Atasu-Alashankou portion of an oil pipeline to China
that is planned in future construction to extend from the country's
Caspian coast eastward to the Chinese border. The country has
embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy
away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing its
manufacturing potential. The policy aims to reduce the influence of
foreign investment and foreign personnel. The government has engaged
in several disputes with foreign oil companies over the terms of
production agreements; tensions continue. Upward pressure on the
local currency continued in 2007 due to massive oil-related
foreign-exchange inflows. Aided by strong growth and foreign
exchange earnings, Kazakhstan aspires to become a regional financial
center and has created a banking system comparable to those in
Central Europe.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$168.2 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$103.8 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.8%
industry: 39.4%
services: 54.8% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

8.229 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 32.2%
industry: 18%
services: 49.8% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

7.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

13.8% (2007)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.4 (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):

30.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $23.58 billion
expenditures: $25.33 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

7.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

11% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$12.74 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$25.75 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$43.75 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Industries:

oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,
titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;
tractors