Kazakhstan's economy grew by an annual 7.6 percent in the first quarter of this year, slower than in the same period of 2005 when gross domestic product rose 9.1 percent, Prime Minister Danial Akhmetov said on Friday.
Separately, the Central Asian country's state statistics agency said inflation hit 8.4 percent year on year in the first quarter - the highest mark in eight years.
Akhmetov, speaking at a government meeting in the capital Astana, said GDP was expected to grow 8.3 percent year on year in the first half of this year.
Propelled by high world prices for its key oil and metal exports, Kazakhstan's economy expanded by 9.4 percent in 2005, matching the 2004 growth rate.
The Economy Ministry expects GDP to increase by an annual average of 8.5 percent in 2006-2008.
Kazakhstan's inflation has been driven by an influx of oil revenues. Earlier this week the government raised the ceiling on its inflation forecast for this year to 7.6 percent from the previous 7.3 percent.
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