Please note this is a Working Document
Profile last updated: 21 December 2011
The Republic of Kazakhstan (conventionally referred to as Kazakhstan) is the biggest country in Central Asia. As a former republic of the Soviet Union, it has inherited a highly developed education sector and a very high literacy rate. In 2009, the literacy rate for adults was estimated at 99.7% (UIS 2009). Kazakhstan’s vast natural resource base has made it an attractive country for foreign direct investment, which has consequently turned it into an important regional player with the highest GDP in the Central Asia (UNESCO 2008). However, the country still faces a number of development challenges, particularly since 40% of its population is rural-based and dispersed over a territory the size of Western Europe.
| Quick Facts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (millions)* | 16 | Rural Population (%) | 42 |
| GDP per capita (PPP US$) | 12,174 | Adult HIV Prevalence (%) | 0.1 |
| Primary Gross Enrolment (%) | 111 | Life Expectancy (years) | 68 |
| Primary Net Enrolment (%) | 89 | Adult Literacy (%) | 99.7 |
| Out of School Children (%) | 1 | HDI** | 0.745 |
| Public Spending on Education as % of GDP | 3.1 | EDI*** | 0.994 |
