The population of Kazakhstan is very diverse and there are many small settlements. While there were only about 100 city settlements and about 300 worker settlements in the 1980s, there were more than 2,000 auils (small farm villages) in the region. Most of the population is Muslim, but about one-fourth are Orthodox. This country's climate has contributed to a relatively low death rate.
The climate of Kazakhstan is sharply continental, with hot summers and cold winters. These temperatures vary widely within the country and among its different subregions. In January, average temperatures are below zero and rise to eighty degrees in the south. Temperatures are much higher in July, rising to a maximum of 113 degF. In December, the average is around a third higher, and one-third of the population lives in the mountains.
The country's economy is heavily dependent on industry. Manufacturing industries employ primarily Russian and Ukrainian workers. They produce goods like iron, rolled steel, and cement. Other cultivated areas are located on the edges of mountains, and irrigation extends into deserts. The region is also a leading producer of lead and copper, and is expanding its fuel production through coal extraction from the Qaraghandy basin.
The country's population has fluctuated over the years, with an approximate range of sixty million inhabitants. However, recent estimates indicate that it has a very balanced population. Nearly three-quarters of its inhabitants are under thirty, and about a quarter of the country is urban. It also has a significant Arabic speaking population in the southwest. However, the country's population is mostly Muslim, and there is little chance of an official census in the future.