Kazakhstan

KAZAKHSTAN

A. THE COUNTRY

The Republic of Kazakhstan, the world’s ninth-largest country, dominates
Central Asia and trade routes between east and west.  Government is a
multiparty democracy.  The only president since 1991 independence from
USSR continues his authoritarian rule and resided over recognizably
tainted elections.  Kazakhstan has one of the world’s fastest growing
economies due to enormous oil and mineral reserves.  A minority profit
from the economic growth, while the majority suffer from poverty and the
nation’s well documented ecological disasters (salt and toxic waste,
radiation, pollution).

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~15,800,000 and is diverse with 76 peoples.  Since
1991, there has been a massive emigration of Europeans and an influx of
Kazakhs.  The official language is Kazakh. ~63% are Turkic, ~35.9%
European, ~1.1% All others (Korean, Dungan).

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

Only the traditionally recognized groups can operate freely.
Increasingly oppressive religion laws have an effect on the newer and
more active Christian denominations and can be used to limit, restrict
and even persecute Christians.
~53.68% are Muslim, ~33.94% Non-religious, ~12.15% claim to be
Christian, ~0.15% Buddhist, ~0.03% Ethnoreligionist, ~0.03% Jewish,
~0.02% Other.  In the Christian category:
~9.82% are Orthodox, ~0.88% Catholic, ~0.83% Protestant, ~0.2%
Unaffiliated, ~0.11% Independent.
Evangelicals represent ~0.7% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~0.3% and of those ~0.2% are Pentecostals.
 Donna Siemens