Will Kazakhstan redefine politics in the post-Soviet arena?

[Big Wonkster]

Kazakhstan climbing to the top? Will Kazakhstan redefine politics in the post-Soviet arena given its booming economy?

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Encouraging news for investment and GDP

Figures from the Statistics Agency of Kazakhstan for the first eight months of 2013 make for encouraging reading. Overall investment into the economy for this period stood at nearly KZT 3.4 trillion, an increase of 7.3% on the same period in 2012. Industrial production for the same period was up by 2% on January-August 2012; mining by 2.9%; and manufacturing by just over 1%. Energy production rose by almost 1%.

Over the same period, from January to August, Kazakhstan’s GDP rose by 5.5%. The forecast for the year from the Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning is for an increase in GDP of 6%. According to the Head of the Statistics Agency, Alikhan Smailov, these figures show that this forecast is, “absolutely realistic”.

 

[Jredbaron96]

Kazakhstan, greatest country in the world...

 

[MadLib]

If Kazakhstan wishes to become a regional power, it might want to be wary of its potentially pro-Russian ethnic minorities. The Georgia fiasco is an example what happens to a former Soviet republic when it gets too powerful or independent-minded; Moscow will use micro-nationalisms and, if necessary, military force to negate the independence of states that attempt to defy it.

And, as demonstrated above, most Americans will first think of Borat in any discussion pertaining to Kazakhstan :lol:

 

[MichaelW]

If Kazakhstan wishes to become a regional power, it might want to be wary of its potentially pro-Russian ethnic minorities. The Georgia fiasco is an example what happens to a former Soviet republic when it gets too powerful or independent-minded; Moscow will use micro-nationalisms and, if necessary, military force to negate the independence of states that attempt to defy it.

Kazakhs and their ethnic Russian compatriots are on good terms with one another, as is Nazarbayev and the Russian government. There's no ethnic tensions and Nazarbayev's monopoly over politics as well as focus on regional influence and economic growth have made it one of the most stable countries there.

As for politics, Kazakhstan is pretty much like every other Central Asian republic bar Kyrgyzstan in the sense that democracy is non-existent and the President's rule is absolute and all powerful. Granted, it's not as omnipotent as Uzbekistan, thieving as Tajikistan or as insane as Turkmenistan, but it's pretty much solid. Unless he dies, Nazarbayev isn't going anywhere.

 

[ilan22]

they are just rich....

57% of their total economy comes from oil,gas,minerals and other natural resorces...

also remmber that they got a huge country(9' biggest country in the world)and they are only 16 million people