Kazakhstan - Public finance

Kazakhstan has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, thanks almost entirely to high world oil prices. GDP grew9.6% in 2000, 13.2% in 2001, and 9.5% in 2002. The surge has been extremely helpful in ridding the government deficit. In 1999, the deficit was equivalent to 3.5% of GDP; by 2001 the government ran a primary surplus of 1.9% of GDP.

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) estimates that in 2001 Kazakhstan's central government took in revenues of approximately $4.2 billion and had expenditures of $5.1 billion. Overall, the government registered a deficit of approximately $900 million. External debt totaled $11.6 billion.

The following table shows an itemized breakdown of government revenues and expenditures. The percentages were calculated from data reported by the International Monetary Fund. The dollar amounts (millions) are based on the CIA estimates provided above.