Fuelled by the thirst of world markets for its leading exports - oil, gas, metals and grain - and following a first wave of successful reforms after independence, national output has been increasing by 6.5% on average annually since 1996, closely followed by an average of 6.2% increase in GDP per capita. In 2006, Kazakhstan was classified as an upper middle income country and in 2011 its real per capita income reached USD 11 5682 (WDI). This is well above the average for Central Asia (USD 6 964)3 and for the upper middle income group of countries (USD 9 235),4 and above GDP per capita in countries which are now recording higher average growth rates, such as China, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Tajikistan (WDI).