Administratively Kazakhstan comprises 14 regions (oblasts) and 2 cities of republican significance - Astana and Almaty, the regions are divided into 175 administrative districts. Despite hyperinflation and deep recession post-independence, Kazakhstan not only recovered but made exceptional economic progress, with GDP growth of around 10% per year between 2000 and 2007, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world at the time. Economic expansion slowed considerably in the post global financial crisis period, but picked up again between 2010 and 2014.