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A Great Trip to France

Last year I had one of the best holidays I have ever had in France. I am sometimes a bit reluctant to go on holiday in France, but we had found a really cheap flight to Biarritz, and that was one of my favourite areas of France. The only problem with France is the climate. You can always pretty much guarantee yourself some great weather if you head to the med, but on the western coast of France it can be pretty hit and miss.

Luckily for us, our trip to Biarritz last year coincided with France’s one heatwave of the year! We had a week there and the weather only broke on our last day! We spent nearly every day in the sea on the fabulous town beach, and I even learned to surf, taking advantage of the unusually small waves! Of course as always the food down there was fabulous, and I indulged myself in more than a few Americains, a baguette filled with steak and Fries, with a wonderful mix of different sauces. I can barely think of them now without salivating!

It was such a shock to be able to spend a week in France in the sun, and it has to some extent restored my faith in the weather over there. To be honest, I knew the risk when I set out there and even in the rain, Biarritz is a great place to be. The food is great, the surroundings are beautiful, and because they themselves are used to having bad weather, there is plenty to do when it rains!

Kazakhstan’s Economy

Kazakhstan has the largest economy in the entire Central Asian region due to its substantial oil, mineral and metal reserves. Foreign investors also play an important role in maintaining the country’s economic stability. Kazakhstan’s enormous land area also provides it a considerable potential for agricultural development. The country’s grassland plains can accommodate grain and livestock production.

Kazakhstan attained industrial production growth in 2009 by taking a few strategic steps. Over the past year, the country implemented around 22 investment projects worth $2.5 billion. Kazakhstan also launched its second energy transit corridor in 2009 in order to solve electricity problems in the country’s southern region.

The Kazakhstan president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, likewise adapted a strategic plan to achieve an impressive economic growth. The Kazakhstan OSCE government refinanced the loans of manufacturing companies by placing “Fund’s stress assets” in commercial banks. The country also managed to finance several investment projects in the fields of energy, engineering and pharmaceuticals.

In addition to this, the country’s government also plans to allot an additional 80.5 billion budget to create additional jobs, as well as to keep the 3,000 existing jobs. As for the country’s innovative and industrial development, a five-year state program has been implemented to enhance Kazakhstan’s economy.

In terms of Agriculture, Kazakhstan’s gross grain harvest for 2009 reached $23.1 tons, displaying a substantial increase of around 36% from the previous year (2008). Kazakhstan’s active development of an export infrastructure provides the country with an access to the largest sales market.

One of the main routes for Kazakhstan’s grain exports goes to China. For this reason, the country allocated a budget to initiate the construction of a railway grain terminal that is complete with a reloading capacity of up to a million tons.

Finally, the country’s investment prospects were virtually not affected by the recent global financial crisis. Kazakhstan’s total capital investment has remained stable since 2008.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Kazakhstan

http://www.traveldocs.com/kz/economy.htm

http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/kazakhstan/