What type of transport to organize export and import shipping from Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a republic in Central Asia, as the CIS countries are now referred to. Among the countries in the region, Kazakhstan's economy is the most powerful, as it relies on significant reserves of natural resources. The export of minerals is the main source of income for the country.

Agriculture also plays an important role in Kazakhstan's economy, dominated by the cultivation of wheat, oilseeds, and cotton. Currency inflows from wheat sales abroad are an important item in the Kazakh budget.

Transport opportunities in Kazakhstan

The territory of Kazakhstan is vast, exceeding 2.7 million square kilometers. The population is relatively small — about 18 million people. Industrial and agricultural centers are scattered across the country and are far from each other. In such conditions, the importance of good transport infrastructure is extremely high, and the people of Kazakhstan understand this.

The republic has all the conditions for using cargo transport by trucks, airplanes, trains, and water transport, that is, all types of modern transport.

Kazakhstan shares land borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Historically, the main transport routes from Russia to the other Central Asian republics — Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — pass through Kazakhstan. Through the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan has access to Iran and Azerbaijan. The geographical position of Kazakhstan makes it an important transit state.

Road transport in Kazakhstan

The road network of Kazakhstan stretches over 96 thousand km. Five important international road routes pass through the territory of the country, with a total length of 23 thousand km. The country has 5 highways and 1 expressway. A section of the expressway from Western Europe to China is being built across Kazakhstan. Its completion is scheduled for 2019. The length of the Kazakh section of the road is about 3 thousand km, with a total length of over 8 thousand km.

The condition of the roads in Kazakhstan is extremely uneven. Highways are in good condition and resemble the quality of roads in Western Europe. However, once you leave these roads, the situation changes dramatically. Asphalt patches, broken roads, ruts — all of this can be found on Kazakh roads. Some sections of the roads are so damaged that they are more like directions than roads.

Infrastructure for cargo delivery by air transport

The size of the state and the not-so-good road network make aviation an important mode of transport not only on external routes. Sometimes aviation is the only alternative to reach the desired point in Kazakhstan. Therefore, there are 25 major airports and many smaller ones operating in the republic. 14 Kazakh airports are international and provide the country with connections to the outside world.

The main Kazakh airports are located in:

1. Aktau.
2. Aktobe.
3. Almaty.
4. Arkalyk.
5. Astana.
6. Atyrau.
7. Ayagoz.
8. Balkhash.
9. Baikonur. The city has 2 airports.
10. Zhezkazgan.
11. Karaganda.
12. Kyzylorda.
13. Kokshetau.
14. Kostanay.
15. Pavlodar.
16. Petropavlovsk.
17. Priozersk.
18. Semey.
19. Taldykorgan.
20. Taraz.
21. Uralsk.
22. Ust-Kamenogorsk.
23. Shymkent.
24. Ekibastuz.

Water transport

Kazakhstan has no access to the seas of the world's oceans, but it is located on the shore of a giant salt lake known as the Caspian Sea. This sea route does not provide a direct opportunity for intercontinental cargo transport, but it serves as an important regional transport route. Additionally, from the Caspian Sea, there is a possibility to reach the waters of the Black and Baltic Seas via rivers and canals in Russia. The main port of Kazakhstan is Aktau. The port's waters do not freeze in winter. Kazakhstan has about 4 thousand km of navigable inland waterways through rivers, reservoirs, and lakes.

Kazakhstan Railways

The railway accounts for 68% of the country's cargo turnover and is a very important mode of transport. The length of the tracks exceeds 15 thousand km. Importantly, the Russian railways have the same gauge (1520 mm) as the railways of Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries. This allows for the transportation of goods from Russia to Central Asia and back without reloading during transit. The railway in China has a gauge of 1435 mm. However, at the border with China, Kazakhstan has 2 junction points that allow for reloading and solving this problem.

What Kazakhstan sells on the foreign market

The main goods from Kazakhstan for sale abroad include oil, gas, metals, and wheat. Among the CIS partners, Kazakh plastics and products made from them, textiles, bearings, and other goods are also in demand.