Exact population: 15,233,244 (July 2006 est.)

Literacy: Total population: 98.4%; male: 99.1%; female: 97.7%

Ethnicities: Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Area: Total: 2,717,300 sq km; land: 2,669,800 sq km; water: 47,500 sq km

Land boundaries: Total: 12,012 km; border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Terrain: Extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Extremes: Lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m; highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Imports: Russia 34.6%, China 15.4%, Germany 8.2%, France 5.7%, Ukraine 4.6% (2004)

Exports: Russia 15.1%, Bermuda 13.8%, Germany 11%, China 9.9%, France 6.6%, Italy 4% (2004)

Industries: Oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials

Source: CIA World Factbook