Capital

Kasachstan

name: Astana

geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note: Kazakhstan has two time zones

etymology: the name means "capital city" in Kazakh


note: on 17 September 2022, Kazakhstan changed the name of its capital city from Nur-Sultan back to Astana; this was not the first time the city had its name changed; founded in 1830 as Akmoly, it became Akmolinsk in 1832, Tselinograd in 1961, Akmola (Aqmola) in 1992, Astana in 1998, and Nur-Sultan in 2019; the latest name change occurred just three and a half years after the city was renamed to honor a long-serving (28-year) former president, who subsequently fell out of favor

Polen

name: Warsaw

geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the origin of the name is unknown; the Polish designation "Warszawa" was the name of a fishing village and several legends/traditions link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz

Katar

name: Doha

geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: derives from the Arabic term "dohat," meaning "roundness," and refers to the small rounded bays along the area's coastline

Citizenship

Kasachstan

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kazakhstan

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Polen

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Poland

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Katar

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Qatar

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years; 15 years if an Arab national

Legal system

Kasachstan

civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and by the theory and practice of the Russian Federation

Polen

civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final

Katar

mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic (sharia) law (in family and personal matters)

Suffrage

Kasachstan

18 years of age; universal

Polen

18 years of age; universal

Katar

18 years of age; universal

Area

Kasachstan

total: 2,724,900 sq km

land: 2,699,700 sq km

water: 25,200 sq km

Polen

total: 312,685 sq km

land: 304,255 sq km

water: 8,430 sq km

Katar

total: 11,586 sq km

land: 11,586 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Land use

Kasachstan

agricultural land: 77.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 8.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 68.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 1.2% (2018 est.)

other: 21.4% (2018 est.)

Polen

agricultural land: 48.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 36.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 30.6% (2018 est.)

other: 21.2% (2018 est.)

Katar

agricultural land: 5.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 94.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Kasachstan

Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Oral) River in easternmost Europe

Polen

Central Europe, east of Germany

Katar

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Age structure

Kasachstan

0-14 years: 25.26% (male 2386022/female 2,551,575)

15-64 years: 65.29% (male 6,226,792/female 6,533,887)

65 years and over: 9.44% (2023 est.) (male 660,397/female 1,184,791)

Polen

0-14 years: 14.53% (male 2,839,788/female 2,680,401)

15-64 years: 64.87% (male 12,364,282/female 12,280,814)

65 years and over: 20.6% (2023 est.) (male 3,171,838/female 4,654,643)

Katar

0-14 years: 13.08% (male 167,065/female 164,110)

15-64 years: 85.51% (male 1,757,982/female 407,120)

65 years and over: 1.41% (2023 est.) (male 23,544/female 12,283)

Birth rate

Kasachstan

17.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Polen

8.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Katar

9.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Kasachstan

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Polen

12.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Katar

1.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Kasachstan

Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 83.1% (understand spoken language) and trilingual (Kazakh, Russian, English) 22.3% (2017 est.); Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 94.4% (understand spoken language) (2009 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Әлемдік деректер кітабы, негізгі ақпараттың таптырмайтын көзі. (Kazakh)

Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Polen

Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2%; note - data represent the language spoken at home; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2009 recognizing Kashub as a regional language, Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages, and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Księga Faktów Świata, niezbędne źródło podstawowych informacji. (Polish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Katar

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Kasachstan

total population: 73 years (2023 est.)

male: 68.7 years

female: 77.7 years

Polen

total population: 75.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 71.7 years

female: 80 years

Katar

total population: 80 years (2023 est.)

male: 77.9 years

female: 82.2 years

Major urban areas - population

Kasachstan

1.987 million Almaty, 1.291 million NUR-SULTAN (capital), 1.155 million Shimkent (2023)

Polen

1.798 million WARSAW (capital), 769,000 Krakow (2023)

Katar

798,000 Ar-Rayyan, 658,000 DOHA (capital) (2023)

Median age

Kasachstan

total: 31.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 29.9 years

female: 33.5 years

Polen

total: 42.4 years (2023 est.)

male: 41.1 years

female: 43.7 years

Katar

total: 34.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 35.5 years

female: 28.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Kasachstan

28.9 years (2019 est.)

Polen

27.9 years (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

Kasachstan

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Polen

-6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Katar

0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Kasachstan

most of the country displays a low population density, particularly the interior; population clusters appear in urban agglomerations in the far northern and southern portions of the country

Polen

population concentrated in the southern area around Krakow and the central area around Warsaw and Lodz, with an extension to the northern coastal city of Gdansk

Katar

most of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula

Population growth rate

Kasachstan

0.9% (2023 est.)

Polen

-1.03% (2023 est.)

Katar

0.86% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Kasachstan

2.59 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Polen

1.31 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Katar

1.9 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Kasachstan

urban population: 58.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Polen

urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: -0.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Katar

urban population: 99.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Kasachstan

4.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Polen

5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Katar

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Kasachstan

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2020)

Polen

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Katar

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 15 years (2021)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Kasachstan

-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Polen

-1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Katar

-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Kasachstan

5.1% (2021 est.)

Polen

3.36% (2021 est.)

Katar

0.66% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Kasachstan

9.248 million (2021 est.)

Polen

18.212 million (2021 est.)

Katar

1.977 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Kasachstan

4.3% (2018 est.)

Polen

15.4% (2018 est.)

Katar

NA

Unemployment rate

Kasachstan

4.9% (2021 est.)

4.89% (2020 est.)

4.8% (2019 est.)

Polen

3.37% (2021 est.)

3.16% (2020 est.)

3.28% (2019 est.)

Katar

0.26% (2021 est.)

0.21% (2020 est.)

0.1% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Kasachstan

26.63% of GDP (2020 est.)

18.48% of GDP (2019 est.)

21.99% of GDP (2018 est.)

Polen

50.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

54.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, the data include subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Katar

53.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

46.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Kasachstan

6.75% (2020 est.)

5.25% (2019 est.)

6.02% (2018 est.)

Polen

5.06% (2021 est.)

3.37% (2020 est.)

2.23% (2019 est.)

Katar

2.3% (2021 est.)

-2.54% (2020 est.)

-0.67% (2019 est.)

Exports

Kasachstan

$66.132 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$52.355 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$65.919 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Polen

$411.621 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$336.317 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$330.934 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Katar

$105.549 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$70.933 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$92.046 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Kasachstan

China 13%, Italy 12%, Russia 10%, Netherlands 7%, France 6%, South Korea 5% (2019)

Polen

Germany 28%, UK 6%, Czechia 6%, France 6%, Netherlands 4% (2020)

Katar

China 13%, Japan 11%, India 11%, South Korea 10%, Singapore 6% (2021)

Imports

Kasachstan

$49.196 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$46.218 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$52.539 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Polen

$380.699 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$295.897 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$302.525 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Katar

$61.204 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$59.065 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$66.77 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Kasachstan

Russia 34%, China 24% (2019)

Polen

Germany 25%, China 12%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 5%, Czechia 4% (2020)

Katar

China 14%, United Arab Emirates 8%, United States 7%, United Kingdom 6%, India 6% (2021)

Airports

Kasachstan

96 (2021)

Polen

126 (2021)

Katar

6 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Kasachstan

total: 2,620,400 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2020 est.)

Polen

total: 8,369,218 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2020 est.)

Katar

total: 296,126 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Kasachstan

total: 17.29 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 91% (2021 est.)

Polen

total: 32.3 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 85% (2021 est.)

Katar

total: 2.7 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 100% (2021 est.)

Railways

Kasachstan

total: 16,636 km (2021)

broad gauge: 16,636 km (2021) 1.520-m gauge (4,237 km electrified)

Polen

total: 19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified

Roadways

Kasachstan

total: 96,167 km (2021)

paved: 83,813 km (2021)

unpaved: 12,354 km (2021)

Polen

total: 420,000 km (2016)

paved: 291,000 km (2016) (includes 1,492 km of expressways, 1,559 of motorways)

unpaved: 129,000 km (2016)

Katar

total: 7,039 km (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

Kasachstan

total subscriptions: 2,997,400 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2021 est.)

Polen

total subscriptions: 5,308,497 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2021 est.)

Katar

total subscriptions: 460,240 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Kasachstan

total subscriptions: 24.323 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2021 est.)

Polen

total subscriptions: 50,588,785 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2021 est.)

Katar

total subscriptions: 3,876,499 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 144 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Kasachstan

43,983 km (2020) (on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River)

Polen

3,997 km (2009) (navigable rivers and canals)

Disputes - international

Kasachstan

Kazakhstan-China: in 1998, Kazakhstan and China agreed to split two disputed border areas nearly evenly; demarcation with China completed in 2002

Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan: in January 2019, Kyrgyzstan ratified the 2017 agreement on the demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border

Kazakhstan-Russia: Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005; field demarcation commenced in 2007 and was expected to be completed by 2013

Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan: Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed a treaty on the delimitation and demarcation process in 2001; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005; Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan agreed to their border in the Caspian Sea in 2014

Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan: field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; disputed territory is held by Uzbekistan but the overwhelming majority of residents are ethnic Kazakhs; the two countries agreed on draft final demarcation documents in March 2022 and planned to hold another meeting in April 2022

Polen

Poland-Belarus-Ukraine: as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine

Katar

none identified