The purpose of this paper is to analyse the geopolitical in¯uence on economic development. Kazakstan is one of the former Soviet Republics which became independent in 1991, which have since then become subject to strong internal and external geopolitical forces. It is the intention of this research to analyse Kazakstan and its new international position. It is well known that the Soviet planned economy has been instrumental in the creation of a series of regional monostructures whose sole market is Moscow. The economic grip of Russia upon Kazakstan has greatly enhanced its power there. Landlocked between the regional powers of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, with an economy forced from the centralized `security' of the Soviet Union, a population constructed of disparate groups placed by the dynamics of history, and a religious ambiguity yet to be satisfactorily resolved, Kazakstan poses many questions both domestically and geopolitically. The paper includes an historical overview, in depth consideration of the economic resources within Kazakstan, current issues, and possible future scenarios and implications.