The State Statistics Agency said that industrial production growth in Kazakhstan slowed to 3.5% in 2011 from 10.0% in 2010, falling short of the government's full year target of 6%.

A spokeswoman for the agency had given a slightly lower growth number of 3.3%.

The statistics agency said Kazakhstan, which is aiming to diversify its resource based economy, posted growth of 1.3% in the mining industry in 2011. Growth in processing industries was 6.2%.

Kazakhstan holds slightly more than 3% of the world's recoverable crude oil reserves and is also the world's largest uranium miner, as well as a major producer of copper, zinc and other industrial metals.

Mr Karim Masimov Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said that the economy grew by 7.5% in 2011, accelerating from 7.3% growth in 2010.

(Sourced from www.reuters.com)