Kazakhstan

President: Nursultan A. Nazarbayev (1990)

Prime Minister: Karim Masimov (2007)

Land area: 1,049,150 sq mi (2,717,300 sq km); 

total area: 1,049,150 sq mi (2,717,300 sq km)

Population (2010 est.): 15,460,484 (growth rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 16.6/1000; 

infant mortality rate: 24.9/1000; 

life expectancy: 68.2; 

density per sq km: 5

Capital (2003 est.): Astana, 288,200 (formerly Aqmola; capital since 1997)

Largest cities: Almaty (former capital), 1,045,900; Karaganda, 404,600; Shymkent, 333,500; Taraz, 305,700; Pavlodar, 299,500; Ust-Kamenogorsk, 288,000; Aqtöbe, 234,400

Monetary unit: Tenge