| Kazakhstan, a land of grassy plains and vast deserts,
is in Central Asia. The ninth-largest country in the world, it is about
one-third the size of Canada.
In the north and northeast, the country is bordered by Russia, which has strongly influenced Kazakhstan for centuries. China lies to the southeast. To the south are Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, which like Kazakhstan, were once part of the Soviet Union. To the west lies the Caspian Sea, which is rich in oil deposits. |
||||
| Central Kazakhstan is a flat, treeless plain called
a steppe. This is one of the world's most sparsley populated places. Part
of the steppe is barren desert, but some areas are used as grazing land
for sheep, camels, cattle, goats and horses. Some people still follow the
ways of their nomadic ancestors, who moved from one part of their traditional
grazing land to another as the seasons changed. Their large felt tents,
or yurtas, can still be seen on the steppe.
Cities and industries have grown up in fertile regions to the north and south of the steppe. Wheat is grown on part of the northern steppe. In the south, farmers cultivate cotton, fruit, vegetables, rice and tobacco with the help of irrigation. Mountains rise along the Russian and Chinese borders. |
||||
| The Aral Sea, fed by the Syr-Darya river, lies in the southwest, on the border with Uzbekistan. Once the world's fourth-largest lake, it is shrinking into two smaller lakes. Engineers in the former Soviet Union diverted water from the lake to irrigate fields. This partially emptied the lake and left the land around it dry and dusty. Scientists are working to make the Aral Sea healthy again. It may soon be protected with dykes. New environmental regulations have also been developed. |
|
|||
| The summer temperature generally climbs to a high
of about 36°C. Snowy winters bring average daily temperatures of around
-2°C, with lows dipping to a chilly -26°C. Precipitation averages
300 mm to 600 mm a year. Most rain comes in powerful thunderstorms, which
can cause flash floods on the steppe. Sand and dust storms make life difficult
for those who live in dry areas. Sometimes people must turn their vehicle's
headlights on during the day so they can see through gritty clouds.
Kazakhstan is Central Asia's richest country. The country's mineral resources have attracted investors from around the world. Kazakhstan has some of the world's largest deposits of minerals, including iron, gold and many other metals. |
||||