Country explorer: Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has undergone significant economic transformations, marked by steady growth in GDP per capita, a declining unemployment rate, decreased poverty across various thresholds, and managed inflation, positioning it as a dynamic economy among upper-middle-income countries.

Kazakhstan has undergone significant demographic changes marked by steady population growth, transforming net migration patterns from negative to positive, rising fertility rates, and improving life expectancy, highlighting a society that is both growing and aging more healthily, a trend common among its upper-middle-income peers but distinct in the Central Asian context for its scale and pace.

Kazakhstan has consistently improved access to basic needs such as clean cooking fuels, electricity, and safely managed drinking water, reflecting substantial advancements in public health and infrastructure, aligning it with upper-middle-income countries but surpassing regional peers in some aspects.

Kazakhstan has experienced significant progress in human development, as evidenced by substantial improvements in the Human Development Index, a marked decrease in child mortality, near-universal literacy, and a notable increase in learning-adjusted years of schooling, distinguishing it as a leader in human capital development among its Central Asian peers.

Kazakhstan has seen a significant increase in per capita CO₂ emissions and advancements in renewable energy production, alongside steady growth in forest area, reflecting a nuanced approach to balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, similar to other upper-middle-income countries but distinguished by its massive leap in renewable energy infrastructure.

Kazakhstan has exhibited a dynamic technology and innovation landscape, highlighted by a significant rise in internet usage, widespread mobile connectivity, moderate but fluctuating investment in R&D, and a notable increase in scientific publication output, reflecting trends often seen in upper-middle-income countries.

Kazakhstan has experienced a notable decrease in gender inequality, improved self-reported life satisfaction, and a balanced but slowly increasing age dependency ratio, indicating a nation progressing towards greater social equity, happiness, and facing the challenges of an aging population amidst a rising share of foreign-born residents, aligning it with global development trends while maintaining distinctive cultural resilience.

Kazakhstan has experienced modest improvements in governance indicators like the rule of law and corruption perception, yet struggles in areas of political civil liberties and press freedom, showcasing a mixed trajectory towards reform and alignment with trends observed in some former Soviet states and upper-middle-income countries.