# Kazakhstan: Tariffs, Trade & U.S. Exposure

Kazakhstan: America imported $4.1B in goods from Kazakhstan in 2025 (+73.4% in one year) and sold it $986M; the latest U.S. tariff action toward it (2026-02-24) is "IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122", in effect at 10%; it ships 2 essential goods finished to American shelves (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/countries/kz
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Country code: KZ
- Region: Central Asia
- Capital: Astana
- Government: presidential republic
- Population: 20M
- GDP: $288.4B
- U.S. imports from Kazakhstan, 2025: $4.1B
- Change in imports in one year: +73.4%
- U.S. imports 2026 through August: $862M
- U.S. exports to Kazakhstan, 2025: $986M
- Trade data source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade in Goods (customs basis)
- Tariff treatment: country-specific
- Reciprocal tariff assigned under EO 14257 (terminated 2026-02-24): 27%
- Section 301: no
- Tariff status verified: 2026-02-24
- HTS revision: Revision 9
- Latest tariff action: 2026-02-24: IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122 (in effect)
- Essential goods shipped finished to the U.S.: 2
- Supply-map inputs and goods: 12 inputs feeding 11 essential American goods
- Coverage: full

## What you buy that Kazakhstan makes: U.S. imports, 2025

| Category | What it is | Value | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Finished metal shapes |   | $2.2B | 53.6% |
| Crude oil |   | $761M | 18.7% |
| Other precious metals |   | $450M | 11% |
| Nuclear fuel materials |   | $215M | 5.3% |
| Steelmaking materials |   | $150M | 3.7% |
| Nonferrous metals, other |   | $127M | 3.1% |
| Copper | copper for wiring | $78M | 1.9% |
| Fuel oil | fuel oil | $21M | 0.5% |
| Chemicals-inorganic |   | $21M | 0.5% |
| U.s. goods returned, and reimports |   | $16M | 0.4% |

2026 so far (through August): $862M in imports. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade in Goods (customs basis).

## What America sells to Kazakhstan: U.S. exports, 2025

| Category | What it is | Value | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Civilian aircraft, engines, equipment, and parts |   | $230M | 23.4% |
| Industrial engines |   | $92M | 9.3% |
| Generators, accessories |   | $54M | 5.5% |
| Passenger cars, new and used | new and used cars | $52M | 5.2% |
| Chemicals-other |   | $46M | 4.7% |
| Electric apparatus |   | $44M | 4.4% |
| Industrial machines, other |   | $41M | 4.2% |
| Railway transportation equipment |   | $41M | 4.2% |
| Other foods |   | $35M | 3.6% |

## U.S. tariff posture toward Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan was assigned 27% in April 2025, reduced to 25% in August — the harshest rate in Central Asia on paper — but the impact is minimal: oil, uranium, silver, ferroalloys, tantalum, and titanium are exempt, covering roughly 95% of Kazakh exports to the U.S. (crude oil alone is over half). No formal deal was reached. Executive Order 14389 (Ending Certain Tariff Actions, Feb 20, 2026) terminated the IEEPA reciprocal duties, and Proclamation 11012 replaced it with a 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge effective February 24, 2026; energy and strategic-mineral imports remain exempt. Kazakhstan has no Section 232 steel/aluminum exposure.

- Reciprocal tariff assigned under EO 14257: 27%, no longer in force. The Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs and they were terminated February 24, 2026 (EO 14389), replaced by a universal 10% Section 122 surcharge; see the timeline for the current effective rate.

## Tariff status, 4 changes since 2025

- 2026-02-24: IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122 (in effect, 10%). Executive Order 14389 (Ending Certain Tariff Actions) terminated the IEEPA tariff duties effective February 24, 2026, replacing Kazakhstan's 25% reciprocal rate with a 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge under Proclamation 11012 (capped at 150 days); energy and strategic-mineral imports remain exempt. [91 FR 9437](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-03832)
- 2025-08-07: Rate set at 25% — no deal reached (in effect, 25%). Executive Order 14326 set the post-pause Annex I reciprocal rates; Kazakhstan's rate was lowered to 25% effective August 7, 2025 with no formal agreement, the oil and strategic-mineral exemptions leaving most exports untouched. [90 FR 37963](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-15010)
- 2025-04-10: Elevated reciprocal rates paused to 10% for 90 days (in effect, 10%). Executive Order 14266 suspended the higher country-specific reciprocal rates — including Kazakhstan's 27% — back to the 10% baseline for 90 days. [90 FR 15625](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-06462)
- 2025-04-05: Reciprocal tariff regime begins — Kazakhstan assigned 27% (oil/minerals exempt) (in effect, 27%). Executive Order 14257 imposed a 10% universal reciprocal duty effective April 5 and a 27% country-specific rate for Kazakhstan scheduled to take effect April 9 — but oil, uranium, silver, ferroalloys, tantalum, and titanium, about 95% of Kazakh exports, were carved out. [90 FR 15041](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-06063)

## What Kazakhstan makes for America

- [Home heating oil](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/home-heating-oil) (energy): $21M to the U.S.
- [Seafood and fish](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/seafood-and-fish) (food): $9M to the U.S.

## The supply chain view

Kazakhstan sits upstream of 11 essential American goods through 12 tracked inputs.

- [Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) Nuclear Fuel](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/low-enriched-uranium-leu) (mineral): 43% share
- [Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) Nuclear Fuel](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/uranium-leu) (mineral): 22% share
- [Yellow Phosphorus (P4) — Organophosphate Feedstock](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/pes-input-yellow-phosphorus-p4) (mineral): 10% share
- [Uranium ore & natural concentrates (U3O8)](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/uranium-ore-concentrate) (energy): 8% share
- [Durum Wheat / Semolina](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/durum-wheat-semolina) (agricultural): 7% share
- [Sterling Silver (Jewelry Grade)](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/sterling-silver) (mineral): 6% share
- [Silver (low-e sputtering target)](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/silver-lowe-coating) (mineral): 6% share
- [Ferroalloys (manganese, chromium, silicon)](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/steel-ferroalloys) (mineral): 6% share
- [Elemental Sulfur (H2SO4 Feedstock)](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/pp-input-sulfur-acid-production) (mineral): 5% share
- [Vital Wheat Gluten](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/vital-wheat-gluten) (agricultural): 3% share
- [Copper ore concentrate](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/copper-ore-concentrate) (mineral): 3% share
- [Sunflower seeds](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/input/sunflower-seeds) (agricultural): 2% share

## The country itself

Ethnic Kazakhs derive from a mix of Turkic nomadic tribes that migrated to the region in the 15th century. The Russian Empire conquered the Kazakh steppe in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1925. Forced agricultural collectivization led to repression and starvation, resulting in more than a million deaths in the early 1930s. During the 1950s and 1960s, the agricultural "Virgin Lands" program generated an influx of settlers -- mostly ethnic Russians, but also other nationalities -- and by the time of Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991, ethnic Kazakhs were a minority. However, non-Muslim ethnic minorities departed Kazakhstan in large numbers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s, and a national program has repatriated about a million ethnic Kazakhs (from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang region of China) to Kazakhstan. As a result of this shift, the ethnic Kazakh share of the population now exceeds two-thirds. Kazakhstan's economy is the largest in Central Asia, mainly due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include diversifying the economy, attracting foreign direct investment, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening economic relations with neighboring states and foreign powers.

Geography
- Location: Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Oral) River in easternmost Europe
- Area: 2,724,900 sq km
- Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
- Terrain: vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the south
- Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
- Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
- Natural hazards: earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

People and society
- Population: 20,432,662 (2025 est.)
- Nationality: Kazakhstani(s)
- Ethnic groups: Kazakh 71%, Russian 14.9%, Uzbek 3.3%, Ukrainian 1.9%, Uyghurs 1.5%, German 1.1%, Tatar 1.1%, other 4.9%, unspecified 0.3% (2023 est.)
- Languages: Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 80.1%, Russian 83.7%, English 35.1% (2021 est.)
- Religions: Muslim 69.3%, Christian 17.2% (Orthodox 17%, other 0.2%), Buddhism 0.1%, other 0.1%, non-believers 2.3%, unspecified 11% (2021 est.)
- Median age: 32.1 years (2025 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth: 73.3 years (2024 est.)

Economy
- Economic overview: upper-middle-income Central Asian economy; robust growth due to rising oil production, expansion in manufacturing and services, rising domestic demand, and infrastructure investments; however, rapid growth contributing to high inflation rate; declining unemployment and poverty rates
- Industries: oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, uranium, iron and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials
- Agricultural products: wheat, milk, barley, potatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes/melons, sunflower seeds, maize, onions, tomatoes (2023)
- Exports - partners: China 16%, UK 15%, Russia 10%, Turkey 6%, Italy 5% (2023)
- Imports - partners: China 28%, Russia 24%, Gambia, The 4%, Turkey 4%, USA 4% (2023)

Government
- Government type: presidential republic
- Capital: Astana
- Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
- Constitution: previous 1937, 1978 (pre-independence), 1993; latest approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995
- Executive branch: President Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (since 20 March 2019)
- Legislative branch: Parliament (Parlament)

## Sources
- [91 FR 9437](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/25/2026-03832/ending-certain-tariff-actions)
- [90 FR 37963](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/06/2025-15010/further-modifying-the-reciprocal-tariff-rates)
- [90 FR 15625](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/15/2025-06462/modifying-reciprocal-tariff-rates-to-reflect-trading-partner-retaliation-and-alignment)
- [90 FR 15041](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/07/2025-06063/regulating-imports-with-a-reciprocal-tariff-to-rectify-trade-practices-that-contribute-to-large-and)
- [CIA World Factbook, Kazakhstan](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/)

## Related
- [U.S. tariffs by country](https://policyrisk.com/tariffs)
- [All countries](https://policyrisk.com/countries)
- [Kazakhstan on the supply map](https://policyrisk.com/supplymap/country/KZ)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/countries/kz (as of 2026-11-04).