Kazakhstan Consulate opens in Colombo

Friday, 19 October 2012 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan was officially declared open on Wednesday by the Ambassador for Kazakhstan in India Doulat Kuanyshev.

Kazakhstan, a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, is the ninth largest country in the world and it is geographically the largest of the former Soviet Republic excluding Russia.

Kazakhstan is officially a unitary republic, and the current President is Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has served the country since 1990.

Eshana De Silva was appointed the Honorary Consul General for Sri Lanka in August 2011.

Kazakhstan is a resource rich country, having significant resources of oil (top ten producer), coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, diamonds, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, uranium (being the world’s second largest producer), iron and steel.

Agriculture also plays a key role in the economy, with wheat exports being one the leading export commodities. Furthermore, the country produces tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors and construction materials.

Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s National Airline, flies to New Delhi, India, five times a week.

According to the World Bank, Kazakhstan’s GDP stood at US$ 186.2 billion, with a per capita income of US$ 11,245 in 2011. Kazakhstan’s biggest trading partner is China, where bilateral trade value stood at US$ 34.2 billion in 2011 (source: WTO). In comparison, bilateral trade with India stood at US$ 300 million in 2011.

Republic of Kazakhstan Ambassador Doulat Kuanyshev and Honorary Consul General for Sri Lanka Eshana De Silva at the

opening of the Consulate in Colombo this week