tar, singular - oblys)
and 3 cities* (qala, singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*,
Aqmola Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy,
Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan
Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl
Oblysy (Taraz) note: administrative divisions have the same names as
their administrative centers (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 Baykonur space
launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baykonyr, formerly Leninsk)

Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Republic Day, 25 October (1990)

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, elected president
1 December 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Imangali TASMAGAMBETOV
(since 28 January 2002)
Council of Ministers appointed by the president election results:
A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%,
Engels GABBASSOV 1.5% note: President NAZARBAYEV 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
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously
scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's
previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30
April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by
the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39
seats - previously 47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president;
other members are popularly elected, two from each of the 14 oblasts,
the capital of Astana, and the city