The Kazak landscape is diverse. Steppes account for about one third of the country s territory, while the semi-deserts stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Almati Mountains constitute a further 15 percent of the land area. There are 8,500 big and small rivers. The largest ones are Ural and Emba. Most of Kazakhstan s climate is continental with hot summers and cold winters.
Different elevations result in wide variations in temperature and precipitation.
Kazakhstan enjoys all kinds of opportunities for securing its sustained development including immense natural resources, vast farming areas, skilled labour and a remarkable industrial potential. Kazakhstan, the second largest of the former Soviet republics in land area, possesses remarkable untapped fossil fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. The main natural resources are petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome, nickel, cobalt, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold and uranium. Iron ore deposits are one of the largest in the world. Moreover, it is one of the leading producers of aluminum and phosphate.