BACKGROUND

The Republic of Kazakhstan is a large transcontinental country located in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. It has a population of 19 million people and is the largest landlocked country in the world, but has one of the world’s lowest population densities. The terrain is dominated by flat and rolling hills across the lowlands, with the exception being the very low-lying areas by the Capsian Sea in the west and the Altay mountains in the east. Kazakhstan experiences an extreme continental climate, with long, hot summers and cold winters. Temperatures and levels of precipitation vary by latitude and climate zone.

Kazakhstan can be affected by floods, extreme temperatures (e.g., cold waves), storms, landslides, earthquakes and epidemics. Climate change impacts from desertification, high temperatures, and glacier and snow melt are expected to impact agricultural systems, access to water resources, human health outcomes and economic output.

INFORM RISK INDEX (2022)    

Hazard and exposure: 2.4  |  Vulnerability: 0.7  |  Lack of coping capacity: 3.7 |  Total: 1.8 (very low)  |  Rank: 167

HAZARDS COVERED BY ANTICIPATION    

Cold wave

EXPERIENCE ON ANTICIPATION 

• IFRC and the Kazakh Red Crescent are finalizing a Simplified Early Action Protocol (EAP) which will act ahead of cold waves. The Simplified EAP will allow for increased flexibility and faster response in anticipation of this hazard.