Since 1991, Kazakhstan, which is one of the two largest Central Asian republics, had attracted foreign direct investment worth US$4 billion by 1998. Whilst most of this investment has been in the energy and mineral sectors, there are also significant opportunities in other sectors of the economy. The Investment Guide for Kazakhstan has been prepared with three objectives in mind: firstly, to identify areas of opportunity for foreign investors; secondly to provide information about the historical, political, economic, financial and legal framework; and thirdly to help foreign direct investors from OECD Member countries draw balanced conclusions about the investment climate. The overview chapter contains constructive policy suggestions on the future attraction of foreign investment for the attention of the Government of Kazakhstan.