Kazakhstan Economy and Business

• GDP: US$132 billion (2008).
• Main exports: Oil, metals, machinery, chemicals, grain, wool and coal.
• Main imports: Industrial materials, oil and gas, and vehicles.
• Main trade partners: USA, Germany, Russia, Italy, The Netherlands, China (PR), Uzbekistan, Korea (Rep) and Ukraine.

Kazakhstan has enormous natural deposits, including iron, nickel, zinc, manganese, coal, chromium, copper, lead, gold and silver. The coalfields of the Karaganda are some of the largest in Asia. There are substantial oil and gas deposits, many of which have only recently been located.

Stone, such as marble and granite, is also produced in large quantities. Agriculture accounts for half of economic output; the main commodities are wheat, meat products, wool and a variety of crops: sugar beet, potatoes, cereals, cotton, fruit and vegetables. Livestock rearing is also important in this very arid region.  

A consequence of extensive cultivation is heavy demand on water supplies, most particularly the rivers of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. This was the major cause of one of the greatest ecological disasters of recent times: the shrinking of the Aral Sea.

Since independence, Kazakhstan has joined the IMF, World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and has signed a co-operation agreement with the EU. It also belongs to the Central Asian Economic Union (ECO).

Many international business events are held in the Alatau Winter Resort near Almaty, by such organisations as UNESCO, ICF and others. There is an annual International Exhibition Fair called Karkara held at the Exhibition Complex of the Business Cooperation Centre in Almaty every September. Businesspeople from all over the world meet here to make contacts and conclude business contracts. Other large industrial towns, such as Chimkent, Karaganda and Pavlodar, have conference and convention facilities and other industrial exhibitions and fairs are held here.

Ministry of Economy and Trade
Transport Tower, Kabanbay, Batyr Avenue, Astana 473000, Kazakhstan
Tel: (3172) 229 032 or 241 529.

Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Al-Farabi 5, Office 503, Business Centre (Nurky-Tau), Almaty 050059, Kazakhstan
Tel: (3272) 777 050 or 055 or 005.